Chad Vale Primary School Review 2026: High attainment, strong reading, and a genuine “family” feel

A primary school where pupils and parents describe a clear sense of belonging, with staff deliberately building a shared identity through the Chad and Vale house system and leadership roles for pupils. The most recent inspection confirmed the school remains Good, and also described a calm, welcoming climate where pupils feel safe and behaviour is consistently positive.

Academically, the school’s 2024 Key Stage 2 outcomes are strong. 80.67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 28.67% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and maths, well above the England average of 8%. In FindMySchool’s primary ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,505th in England and 43rd in Birmingham, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of primary outcomes in England.

The school is a two-form entry size, with capacity around 420 and a roll around that level.

The defining feature here is deliberate community-building. The Chad and Vale houses are used as more than a badge system, they create cross-age links so pupils mix beyond their own class and year group. This matters in a school of this size because it increases the number of trusted peers pupils know across the building, which can make playground life feel safer and more organised for younger children.

Relationships are described as polite and respectful, with older pupils showing consideration for younger ones. The school also leans into leadership opportunities: roles such as council and ambassador positions are presented as part of normal school life, not just an occasional add-on. That emphasis tends to suit children who gain confidence from responsibility, especially in Years 5 and 6.

Pastoral support is another consistent thread. Pupils report feeling safe, and bullying is framed as something adults would act on quickly. For parents, that translates into a culture where concerns can be raised early, rather than waiting for problems to become entrenched.

Leadership is stable. The head teacher is Paul Sansom, and an Ofsted letter confirms he was appointed on 01 January 2015, giving the school a long run of continuity at the top.

Chad Vale’s 2024 Key Stage 2 data shows a school with consistently high attainment across the core suite.

Expected standard (reading, writing and maths combined)

In 2024, 80.67% of pupils met the expected standard, compared with an England average of 62%. For many families, this is the single most useful headline figure because it summarises how effectively the school gets the full cohort over key thresholds by the end of Year 6.

Higher standard (greater depth in reading, writing and maths combined)

28.67% achieved the higher standard, compared with an England average of 8%. This gap is meaningful, it suggests the school is not only securing the basics but also extending a sizeable group into deeper mastery.

Scaled scores

Reading: 106, mathematics: 108, grammar, punctuation and spelling: 109. Scaled scores are particularly helpful because they are less sensitive to changes in the test paper’s difficulty than raw percentages.

Subject-by-subject attainment snapshots (expected standard)

Reading 78%, maths 87%, GPS 82%, science 80%. This pattern is consistent with a school where reading is treated as a priority and maths is taught with clear structure, while science remains solid.

How this sits in England

FindMySchool’s primary ranking (based on official data) places the school 2,505th in England and 43rd in Birmingham. In plain English, this sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of primary outcomes in England.

Reading is positioned as a core strength, and the inspection evidence is quite specific about why. Early phonics teaching is described as improved and tightly monitored, with regular checks in Reception and rapid support for any child starting to fall behind. The point is not only higher phonics scores, it is the knock-on effect across the school: better decoding supports fluency, which supports comprehension, which supports writing quality in upper key stage 2.

Writing appears to have a defined approach as well. In Year 6, the school references the Jane Considine Write Stuff method to develop vocabulary, grammar, and control over different text types, while still pushing pupils towards independence through drafting and editing. The implication for parents is that writing is taught as a craft with explicit instruction, not left to chance.

Curriculum work is also described as ongoing. The inspection report notes an ambitious curriculum that is being reviewed and improved further, but it flags that in some subjects, leaders have not specified the essential knowledge that teachers should prioritise. Where this is not secure, pupils can find it harder to connect ideas over time. This is not a crisis, but it is a useful “watch this space” for families who value a consistently well-sequenced curriculum in every subject, not only the core.

As with most Birmingham primaries, transition is shaped by the city’s coordinated admissions system and the breadth of secondary options in the wider area. The school’s own guidance to families emphasises applying through the local authority for all state secondaries, including grammar schools, and notes that secondary applications are usually due by the end of October in Year 6.

What this means in practice is that Year 6 is often split between two planning tracks. Some families focus on a shortlist of local non-selective secondaries and prioritise practicalities such as travel time, while others are also considering selective routes and will want to understand the testing and registration timeline early. Chad Vale’s strongest advantage here is its reading culture and attainment profile, which generally supports confident transition into a wide range of secondary settings.

Reception admission is managed through Birmingham City Council’s coordinated process. For September 2026 entry, Birmingham’s published timetable states applications open on 01 October 2025 and the statutory closing date is 15 January 2026; offers are released on 16 April 2026.

Demand is significant. The school received 176 applications for 60 offers in the recorded year which is about 2.93 applications per place, and the entry route is marked oversubscribed. This level of pressure typically means families benefit from planning early, understanding criteria, and keeping realistic backup options on the form.

For in-year admissions, the school provides its own in-year admission form and notes that waiting lists are cleared at the start of each academic year in September; families who want to remain on a waiting list need to reapply with proof of current address.

A practical tip: if you are shortlisting multiple Birmingham primaries, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for sense-checking what “local” really means in walking terms, then cross-referencing that with each school’s oversubscription rules.

Pastoral support is described as a strength, with pupils reporting they feel safe and trust adults to handle bullying if it arises. The school also supports pupils who need help managing emotions or behaviour, and staff encourage awareness of mental and physical health.

Safeguarding is confirmed as effective in the latest inspection report.

One nuance worth understanding is the school’s emphasis on independence. The inspection notes that some pupils do not yet use many self-help strategies when they need them. For parents, that points towards a worthwhile conversation at transition points: what does the school do to build pupils’ self-management, and how can home and school reinforce the same routines?

Creative arts are unusually well-specified on the school’s own curriculum pages, which helps parents understand what pupils actually do, rather than relying on generic claims.

Music with real structure

Music is taught using the Charanga scheme, and Year 4 pupils learn either keyboards or violin weekly with teachers from Birmingham’s Music Hub. There is also a Chad Vale choir that meets weekly and is led by a professional singing coach. The implication is that musical participation is normalised and timetabled, not limited to a small optional group.

Dance and performance

Dance is embedded in physical education, plus it features in annual productions, with Years 3 and 6 choreographing their own dances. The “Dancing in Classrooms” initiative introduces ballroom dancing and explicitly links it to cooperation and mutual respect. That kind of programme tends to suit children who gain confidence through partnered work and performance, including those who do not naturally choose competitive sport.

Arts enrichment with named partnerships

The school references collaborations such as workshops at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts and a concert with the Big Soul Sing Company. It also describes an after-school pottery club run by a parent who is a professional ceramic artist, Wendy Tournay, and regular art clubs led by Tereza Buskova in a developing “artist in residence” role. The benefit is straightforward: pupils are exposed to specialist practice and techniques that classroom teachers may not have time or training to deliver at the same depth.

Pupil voice inside the arts

A Creative Arts Council, also described as Arts Ambassadors, meets to shape themes for art weeks and make suggestions for curriculum improvements. This gives pupils genuine influence over school-wide creative priorities, which can be a powerful motivator for children who want their interests taken seriously.

Wraparound provision also has its own identity. The school’s Wrap-Around Care Club (WACC) includes structured activities after school, and a job advert notes that the first hour of after-school club also functions as a homework club, which can be a practical support for working families.

The published school day ends at 3.30pm, and WACC runs from 7.30am to 6.00pm. This is a meaningful span for families managing early shifts or hospital and university working patterns common in this part of Birmingham.

The school also publishes WACC session costs and timings on its FAQ page, which is useful for budgeting alongside other predictable costs such as uniform and trips.

Travel planning is typically straightforward for local families in Edgbaston and nearby areas, with many pupils walking, cycling, or using bus links into the city. For families comparing options, FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages can help you benchmark primary outcomes and demand levels across Birmingham without losing sight of practicalities like the school day and wraparound hours.

• Competition for places. With 176 applications for 60 offers year, Reception entry pressure is real. Families should plan backups early, and keep preferences realistic.

• Curriculum sequencing still being refined in some foundation subjects. The inspection notes that in some subjects, essential knowledge is not yet identified explicitly enough for pupils to build learning securely over time. This is a clear improvement target and worth asking about at open events.

• Personal development breadth. The inspection identifies gaps around economic understanding and fuller coverage of values linked to life in modern Britain. For parents who prioritise citizenship education, it is sensible to ask what has been strengthened since October 2023.

• Independence strategies. Some pupils are noted as not consistently using self-help strategies. Children who need extra scaffolding may benefit from a clear home-school plan around organisation, resilience, and problem-solving habits.

A Good school with strong Key Stage 2 outcomes and a clearly engineered community feel, anchored by stable leadership and a strong reading foundation. The arts programme is unusually concrete for a state primary, with structured music, performance, and named enrichment partners.

Best suited to families who want high attainment without narrowing the pupil experience to just tests, and who value a large-enough cohort for social breadth plus strong wraparound hours. The main challenge is admission pressure, so shortlisting needs realism as well as ambition.