Acocks Green Primary School Review 2026: High-performing Acocks Green primary with strong early years and a distinctive practical curriculum

A school with Edwardian-era roots and a modern, highly structured approach to learning, Acocks Green Primary combines strong Key Stage 2 outcomes with unusually practical, hands-on curriculum features. The buildings date back to 1908, and the school describes a history stretching back in various forms for over 100 years, long enough to have educated past pupils such as comedian Jasper Carrott.

Leadership is stable. Mrs Sarah Ward is the current headteacher, and the most recent inspection record states she started the role in September 2022.

Academic outcomes stand out clearly. In 2024, 83.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. The higher standard figure is also strong, at 36% compared with an England average of 8%.

The latest Ofsted inspection in July 2024 judged the school Good overall, with Outstanding grades for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years.

This is a large primary by Birmingham standards, with a published capacity of 420 pupils and an age range from 3 to 11, including nursery classes. The scale can be an advantage for families who want breadth in friendship groups and a wide range of enrichment, while still retaining the routines that make day-to-day life predictable for younger children.

The school’s stated motto sets the tone: “Everyone is different, everyone is equal and everyone is welcome.” That message aligns well with the way the school frames inclusion and community, and it is reinforced through practical examples such as pupil leadership roles, including eco monitors, wellbeing ambassadors and school councillors.

It is also a school that leans into real-world responsibility in a child-friendly way. One of the most distinctive examples is the school’s “pets” project, centred around four rescue chickens, Babs, Ginger, Bunty and Fowler, which the school uses explicitly as a vehicle for teaching kindness, empathy and the routines of animal care. For many children, this kind of concrete responsibility can be a powerful counterweight to purely desk-based learning, particularly for pupils who thrive when learning feels tangible.

There is a clear sense of organisational discipline around the start of the day. Doors open from 8:15am and the school describes this as supporting a calm, staggered start, which also acknowledges local parking pressure. Registers are taken at 8:40am. For working families, this kind of operational clarity can matter as much as any headline statistic.

Acocks Green’s 2024 Key Stage 2 results are strong across the board. The headline measure, the combined expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, sits at 83.67%, well above the England average of 62%.

Scaled scores add depth to that picture. Reading and mathematics are both high, with average scaled scores of 110 for reading and 109 for maths. Grammar, punctuation and spelling is also strong, at 109. These are the kinds of figures that usually correlate with confident routines in reading, systematic teaching of early literacy, and a structured approach to arithmetic and problem solving.

The higher standard measure is where the school really separates itself. In 2024, 36% of pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 8%. For parents, that typically translates into a cohort where a meaningful proportion of pupils are ready to be stretched, and where classroom practice needs to include both consolidation and extension.

In FindMySchool’s proprietary rankings (based on official data), the school is ranked 828th in England and 13th within Birmingham for primary outcomes. With an England percentile of 0.0546, this places the school well above England average, within the top 10% of primary schools in England (and closer to the top 6% than the margin). Parents comparing nearby options may find it useful to use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view these results alongside other Birmingham primaries serving similar communities.

Teaching is built around clear sequencing, and that matters most in the fundamentals. Reading is positioned as a high priority, supported by systematic phonics from the outset in Reception, and regular assessment to identify pupils who are falling behind. The practical implication for families is straightforward: children who need early catch-up support are likely to be identified quickly, and children who are already fluent are likely to be encouraged to read widely rather than simply “finish the scheme”.

Mathematics is also described in a way that suggests careful progression. The inspection record notes that learning builds step by step, with early years resources used to establish number patterns and older pupils moving into problem solving, including the use of diagrams. That approach tends to suit pupils who benefit from explicit modelling and repeated practice, while still giving space for deeper thinking once core methods are secure.

A distinctive curricular pillar is practical life skills through food technology. The school states it has two dedicated cookery rooms used daily, led by Mr Taylor as cookery leader, with pupils preparing ingredients, including some grown in school garden beds, and taking a small pot home after cooking. The educational payoff is broader than “fun cooking”: children practise measuring, sequencing, safe tool use, and vocabulary development, and they experience the social side of learning when food is shared at home.

One curricular point to watch is breadth beyond English and mathematics. The inspection record highlights that in a minority of foundation subjects, key knowledge is not identified with the same precision, which can make sequencing less clear. For most families, this will not outweigh the strengths in core subjects, but it is a useful prompt to ask how leaders are tightening curriculum planning in those areas.

As a Birmingham primary serving ages 3 to 11, pupils typically transfer into a range of Birmingham secondary schools, and outcomes depend heavily on home address, parental preferences and the city’s coordinated admissions process. For most families, the practical step is to map realistic secondary options early, then keep travel time and transport routes under review as children move into Key Stage 2.

For parents who are already thinking about longer-term planning, a sensible approach is to shortlist likely secondary options by distance and route, then revisit annually as admissions patterns and published oversubscription criteria change. The FindMySchool Map Search can help families understand practical proximity to plausible secondary choices, which is often more informative than relying on informal word-of-mouth.

Reception admissions are coordinated through Birmingham City Council, and timing is clear for September 2026 entry. Applications open on 1 October 2025 and close on 15 January 2026 at 11:59pm, with National Offer Day on 16 April 2026.

Demand is high. For the most recent published cycle provided, there were 277 applications for 60 offers, which equates to 4.62 applications per place. The proportion of first preferences relative to offers is also elevated at 1.24, which often indicates that many applicants are targeting the school as their first choice rather than as a fallback.

The school publishes a standard set of oversubscription criteria, with looked after and previously looked after children prioritised, followed by sibling priority, then other criteria as specified in the admissions policy. Because the dataset does not include a last distance offered figure for this school, families should treat proximity as only one part of the picture and should review the latest admissions policy and Birmingham’s coordinated admissions guidance before relying on an application here.

Nursery admissions are handled separately. The school notes that nursery places are allocated in March for enrolment in the September ahead, and families are directed to the nursery admissions policy and application process on the school site. For nursery fee details, families should use the official nursery information provided by the school; eligible families can also explore government-funded early education hours via official guidance.

Pastoral support is a visible strength in the formal record of how the school operates. Pupils are described as knowing who to report concerns to, and the school is described as providing highly effective pastoral support. For parents, the practical implication is not only that safeguarding processes exist, but that children are expected to understand and use them, which is a key marker of an effective primary safeguarding culture.

There is also evidence of structured wellbeing routines. The school has established a wellbeing hub where pupils complete sensory circuits to help regulate emotions and begin the day positively. This is the sort of provision that can be particularly helpful for children who arrive at school dysregulated, or who benefit from predictable transitions between home and classroom learning.

Behaviour and relationships appear to be treated as core, not an add-on. Pupils take on responsibilities that connect directly to school culture, including eco and wellbeing roles, which tends to support a sense of belonging and shared ownership.

A useful way to judge extracurricular life in a primary is to look for specificity, and Acocks Green offers it. Pupils are reported as enjoying clubs including chess and computing, and there are opportunities to perform with the school orchestra. For families with children who gravitate toward structured, skill-based clubs rather than purely sport-based options, those examples matter.

Outdoor learning and service to the local community also appear in the record, including activities such as litter picks and fundraising linked to a local children’s hospital. The implication here is that personal development is framed through action, not just assemblies, which can resonate for pupils who learn values most effectively through real tasks.

The school’s practical curriculum features feed into enrichment too. Cooking is a good example: pupils do the chopping, weighing and preparation under supervision, and the school positions this as a consistent experience from early years through Year 6, supported by dedicated spaces.

Finally, the school presents a number of external badges and awards on its materials, including Music Mark and Eco Schools, which suggests sustained attention to music and environmental responsibility rather than one-off events.

The school day is clearly structured. Doors open from 8:15am to allow children to attend a free Breakfast Club if they choose, classrooms open from 8:30am, and the formal day runs 8:40am to 3:10pm. Nursery sessions are published separately, including morning and afternoon sessions and full-time placements, which is helpful for parents managing split childcare arrangements.

Lunch is an additional cost for pupils who do not receive free school meals. The school states a meal costs £2.60 per day and that catering is in-house.

Wraparound care beyond the morning offer is referenced, but detailed session information is not consistently published in one place on the school site. Families considering after-school arrangements should confirm availability and timings directly with the school.

• High demand for Reception entry. With 277 applications for 60 offers in the most recent dataset cycle, competition is a real factor. Families should plan on applying with a realistic set of alternatives.

• Foundation subject sequencing. Core subjects are described as carefully structured, but a minority of wider curriculum subjects are flagged as less precisely sequenced. Ask how this is being addressed, especially if your child is particularly motivated by humanities or wider curriculum themes.

• Early years and nursery practicalities. Nursery places are allocated on a specific annual timetable, and parents will want to align this with work and childcare plans. Confirm nursery admissions details early, including how progression into Reception is handled in practice.

• Large-school feel. With a capacity of 420 and a published roll above that level, some children will enjoy the scale and variety, while others may prefer a smaller setting.

Acocks Green Primary School is a high-performing Birmingham primary with clear strengths in early reading, mathematics, and personal development routines. Distinctive practical features, especially the daily use of cookery rooms and the school’s structured approach to wellbeing, add depth beyond headline results.

Best suited to families who want a structured, academically strong primary with tangible enrichment, and who are prepared for the reality of oversubscription at Reception. The limiting factor for many families will be securing a place, rather than the quality of education once admitted.