Harborne Primary School Review 2026: High attainment outcomes, with a clear improvement story underway

Large primaries rarely combine scale with strong Key Stage 2 outcomes, but Harborne Primary School does. It serves pupils aged 4 to 11 across two sites and operates close to capacity (840 places).

Academically, the most recent published Key Stage 2 outcomes place it well above England averages, particularly in reading, mathematics and combined reading, writing and mathematics. Demand is also clear, with 320 applications for 120 Reception offers in the most recent admissions data provided. That level of interest matters for day to day practicalities as much as for admissions, including wraparound care capacity.

The context families need to weigh is that outcomes and demand sit alongside recent formal judgements that triggered intensive improvement work, including strengthened safeguarding processes and a re set approach to attendance, behaviour and SEND.

Harborne Primary presents itself as a community school serving families from a wide range of backgrounds, with many home languages represented. The scale is a defining feature. With around 840 pupils and two sites, day to day experience can feel more like a small village than a single building primary, and routines, transitions and communication need to work consistently for families to feel confident.

Leadership has been a major theme in the last year. Mrs Linda Francis is named as head teacher on the school website and official listings, and school policies from September 2025 also identify her as interim head teacher at that point, which strongly indicates a recent appointment into the role. That matters because the current phase is about stabilising expectations, tightening systems and restoring trust, rather than introducing cosmetic change.

Governance arrangements have also been adjusted, with an Interim Executive Board referenced by the school. For parents, the practical implication is that improvement priorities and accountability lines are likely to be more explicit than in a typical settled governing body structure, which can support rapid decision making during a challenging period.

For a Birmingham primary, attainment at the end of Year 6 is the standout headline. In 2024, 86.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 33% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with the England average of 8%. Reading and mathematics scaled scores were both 109, with grammar, punctuation and spelling at 112. (England scaled score benchmarks are typically 100.)

Rankings reinforce the picture. Ranked 498th in England and 8th in Birmingham for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits well above England average overall, placing it within the top 10% of primaries in England.

The key takeaway is that academic outcomes, at least for core measures, have been strong on the published data. For families, that can signal effective classroom practice in the tested subjects, but it should be considered alongside the more recent focus on consistency across the wider curriculum and on provision for pupils with additional needs.

Parents comparing options locally can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view these attainment indicators alongside other Birmingham primaries, so strengths and trade offs are visible in one place.

Early reading is a clear structural strength in the official narrative of how teaching works. Phonics is taught daily from the start of Reception, with staff modelling reading accurately, matching books to pupils’ phonic knowledge, and providing targeted support for pupils who need to catch up. The practical implication for families is that home reading routines, book changing and consistent practice are likely to be a meaningful part of Reception and Key Stage 1 expectations.

Writing is positioned as an improvement priority. Both the graded inspection and later monitoring documentation refer to a newer approach to early writing and a newer writing curriculum, with implementation still at an early stage and a focus on letter formation, fluency and fine motor skill development. For pupils, this usually means more deliberate handwriting and transcription teaching, more explicit modelling and practice, and tighter checking for gaps, particularly in the transition from early years into Key Stage 1.

Across subjects more broadly, the improvement agenda is about ensuring curriculum intent is delivered consistently, with staff supported to spot and address misconceptions earlier rather than allowing gaps to persist. In a large primary, that consistency across year groups is often the difference between strong headline outcomes and a reliably strong day to day experience for every class.

As a 4 to 11 primary, the main transition is into Birmingham secondary schools at the end of Year 6. Families should expect to apply through the local authority coordinated process for Year 7 places, with timelines and criteria that can differ across schools, particularly where selective testing, faith criteria, or specialist provision applies.

The school’s size suggests that leavers are likely to progress to a range of secondary settings rather than one dominant destination. The most practical step for parents is to shortlist likely secondaries early in Year 5 and use open events and admissions policies to understand criteria and travel implications well before the Year 6 application window.

Reception admission is coordinated through Birmingham City Council. For the 2026 entry cycle, the school’s admissions guidance states that applications should be submitted online by 15 January 2026. Birmingham City Council indicates that on time online applicants are notified on 16 April 2026.

Demand, based on the admissions data provided, is strong. The most recent figures show 320 applications for 120 offers, around 2.67 applications per place. The first preference ratio is also high (1.09), suggesting many families naming the school as their first choice.

Open events for the September 2026 intake were advertised for mid November and additional sessions in early January, which suggests a fairly typical annual pattern. Dates move each year, so families should treat those months as a guide and check the school’s current calendar for the next cycle.

Because published distance and catchment cut offs are not provided in the available information, families should focus on the local authority’s oversubscription criteria and verify practical travel arrangements. The FindMySchool Map Search is particularly useful here, allowing parents to measure their exact home to school distance consistently, which helps when comparing multiple oversubscribed Birmingham primaries.

Pastoral support is structured, with a named Pastoral Lead and Heads of Year described as working with families and outside agencies. The school also references a partnership with St John’s Church to provide a Transforming Lives for Good mentoring programme, which is typically used to provide targeted support for pupils who need additional adult input.

SEND is a particularly important area to understand at Harborne. The school publishes specific documentation for The Nest, described as short to medium term provision for pupils with significant and complex SEND who cannot meaningfully access the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum or who are awaiting specialist placement. For families, this signals that the school is trying to build structured internal capacity for pupils with higher levels of need, rather than relying only on in class strategies.

At lunchtime, the later monitoring documentation also references Rainbow Club as a quieter option for some pupils.

The most recent Ofsted graded inspection (20 to 21 May 2025) judged quality of education and leadership and management as Inadequate, with behaviour requiring improvement, personal development good, and early years requiring improvement. A subsequent Ofsted monitoring inspection (2 October 2025) reported progress but confirmed the school still required special measures, with safeguarding arrangements effective.

A large primary should, in theory, offer breadth. The most useful question is what is actually named and sustained. Harborne points to clubs led by both adults and pupils, plus opportunities to represent the school in competitions. The Borcherd Shield Maths Challenge is explicitly referenced, along with a non auditioned choir, which suggests that participation is intended to be inclusive rather than reserved for a small cohort.

The May 2025 inspection report also lists examples of clubs and activities in practice, including choir and crochet club. These details matter because they indicate enrichment that is not only sport led. For pupils who do not see themselves as team sport enthusiasts, accessible creative clubs can be the difference between simply attending school and feeling part of it.

Wider development is supported by trips and leadership roles. The report references visits such as a farm trip and theatre and museum visits, as well as roles including school councillor, reading buddy and playground leader. Residential visits for several year groups are also referenced as helping build confidence and resilience.

The school publishes lesson timings for 2025 to 2026. Registration is at 9:00, with doors opening at 8:50. Home time varies by phase and site, with some pupils finishing at 3:20 and juniors on the main site finishing at 3:30.

Wraparound care is available, but the school is explicit that demand is high and places cannot be guaranteed, with waiting lists possible.

Practical travel and drop off management matters at a school of this size. School communications have referenced parking concerns at the start and end of the day, which is a useful signal for parents to plan walking routes, car sharing, or slightly offset drop off timing where possible.

• Recent formal judgements and improvement pace. The school is in a formal improvement cycle following the May 2025 outcomes, and while later monitoring points to progress, families should be comfortable with a school still implementing significant change.

• SEND fit needs careful scrutiny. The published description of The Nest indicates a deliberate approach to complex needs and interim support, but families of pupils with SEND should ask detailed questions about identification, class strategies and external agency involvement.

• Admission pressure is real. With 320 applications for 120 offers in the most recent Reception data, oversubscription is the norm, so families should build a realistic plan that includes multiple acceptable schools.

• Wraparound care capacity may be constrained. The school warns that places may not be available for every family, which matters for working parents planning childcare well in advance.

Harborne Primary School combines strong published Key Stage 2 outcomes with the practical advantages of a large setting, including breadth of clubs and structured pastoral roles. The central issue for parents is confidence in the improvement trajectory following the 2025 judgements, particularly around SEND, behaviour and system consistency.

Who it suits: families seeking a large Birmingham primary with high attainment measures, who value breadth of opportunity and are comfortable engaging actively with school routines, communication and improvement priorities. The limiting factor is likely to be admissions competition rather than academic ambition.