Raddlebarn Primary School Review 2026: Reading-first priorities, strong KS2 outcomes, and a clear push on inclusion

A two-form entry primary with nursery provision, Raddlebarn serves families in Selly Oak with a calm, structured approach that puts reading at the centre from the earliest years. Pupils’ outcomes at key stage 2 are a clear strength, with combined reading, writing and maths results well above the England average in the most recent published results in this profile. The school is also explicit about values-led culture, with daily routines designed to check in on how children are feeling, and a play strategy that encourages creativity and mixed-age collaboration.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (25 to 26 June 2024, an ungraded inspection) stated that the school remained Good, and also signalled that a future graded inspection would look closely at consistency of curriculum delivery and how effectively the school engages staff and parents.

Raddlebarn’s culture comes through most clearly in two practical routines. One is the everyday emotional check-in, described in the latest inspection as a consistent way for pupils to flag worries and seek support. The other is a strong inclusion thread, including a “no outsiders” ethos which, in official commentary, is linked to respectful relationships and harmonious play at social times.

Play is not treated as downtime. The school uses OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) as a structured approach to improving the quality of play, and this is referenced as a driver for creativity and shared use of equipment across year groups. For many families, that matters because it often correlates with smoother transitions, fewer friendship fallouts, and a more settled lunchtime experience.

Leadership has also been in flux in recent years. Current leadership is listed as Angela Lowry, and the school has also been operating with an interim executive board since June 2024, which is a governance mechanism usually used when governance capacity needs strengthening.

Raddlebarn’s latest key stage 2 picture in this profile is strong in the measures parents care about most.

• 76.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%.

• At the higher standard, 28% reached the higher threshold in reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%.

• Subject-level indicators are also solid, including 86% at the expected standard in reading, 73% in maths, and 89% in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

On the FindMySchool measure used here, the school is ranked 2,937th in England for primary outcomes and 52nd in Birmingham, placing it above the England average and comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England on this ranking approach.

A nuance worth holding in mind is science. The proportion meeting the expected standard in science in this profile is 79%, a touch below the England average of 82%. That does not negate the overall picture, but it can be useful for families whose child is particularly science-curious and who want to ask how practical science is taught and assessed in upper key stage 2.

Reading is the clearest academic pillar. The most recent inspection describes a phonics programme delivered effectively, with “keep-up” work used when gaps appear, and this reading-first stance is described as starting in nursery and continuing throughout the school. The practical implication is that children who need more repetition, or who benefit from tightly sequenced instruction, are likely to find the early literacy approach reassuring rather than ad hoc.

Curriculum design is described as ambitious and well sequenced, with collaborative learning routines that help pupils talk through ideas and work with each other. That can be particularly helpful for children who learn well through structured discussion, paired talk, and teacher-guided reasoning.

The main teaching challenge flagged in the latest inspection is consistency. Not all staff were described as having the same depth of subject knowledge or confidence in teaching all aspects of the curriculum, which can create “pockets” where delivery is stronger in some classes than others.

Preparation for secondary transition is woven into responsibility and leadership opportunities. In the most recent inspection commentary, Year 6 pupils link roles such as prefects and eco-councillors to feeling more ready for the move to secondary school.

For families thinking ahead, the practical next step is to check Birmingham’s secondary transfer routes, and then ask Raddlebarn how it supports pupils who are moving to different types of destination, including larger non-selective secondaries, selective routes where relevant, and specialist provision where needed. If you are also comparing nearby primaries by outcomes and context, the FindMySchool Local Hub pages and Comparison Tool can make that shortlisting stage quicker.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Entry is through Birmingham’s coordinated admissions for Reception, and demand is clear in the admissions figures in this profile: 90 applications for 30 offers, which equates to around 3 applications per place. That level of pressure usually means families should treat admissions as competitive and make realistic additional preferences.

For the September 2026 Reception intake, Birmingham’s published timetable states that applications opened at 9:00am on 01 October 2025, with a statutory closing date of 11:59pm on 15 January 2026, and offers released on 16 April 2026.

If you are relying on proximity, use the FindMySchool Map Search to sense-check how your home compares to recent patterns at similar local schools. Even where distance is a key tie-breaker, it is best treated as a risk factor rather than a guarantee.

Pastoral routines are described as a strength, including staff knowing pupils and families well, and a restorative approach to behaviour that reduces the need for serious sanctions. Attendance is described as improved and in line with national averages in the most recent inspection commentary, which usually indicates consistent follow-up on absence and clear expectations around daily routines.

Inclusion for pupils with SEND is also described as thoughtful, with pupils following an adapted version of the curriculum alongside classmates and staff being given clear strategies for adaptation. For parents, the best question to ask is what that looks like day-to-day: how interventions are timetabled, how teaching assistants are deployed, and how the school communicates progress against individual plans.

Raddlebarn’s wider offer is easiest to understand through the named programmes and events that appear in official commentary.

• OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) is used to structure and improve play, with equipment and routines that encourage creativity and mixed-age interaction.

• The school has run whole-school enrichment such as One World Week, with community involvement and practical activities including meditation and yoga sessions.

• Pupil leadership opportunities include roles such as eco-councillors and prefects, which are treated as part of personal development rather than decoration.

Because the main school website is not consistently accessible in this environment, families should double-check the current term’s club list directly with the school, as after-school activities can change termly.

Published school-day timings indicate an 08:45 start and 15:15 finish, which equates to 32.5 hours per week.

Wraparound care is described in official inspection detail as being delivered by an external provider operating on site. Parents who need regular childcare should ask about session times, booking patterns, and whether places are capped, particularly for nursery and Reception where demand can be highest.

• Competitive entry. The admissions figures in this profile indicate materially more applications than offers, so families should plan multiple realistic preferences and not rely on a single outcome.

• Consistency across classes. The latest formal review highlights uneven confidence and subject knowledge in some areas, which can translate into variation in how consistently the curriculum is delivered across year groups.

• Communication expectations. Parental confidence and two-way communication are described as mixed in the latest formal commentary, so families who want frequent updates should ask how communication has been strengthened and what channels are now standard.

• Governance changes. The presence of an interim executive board suggests the school has been in a period of structural change at governance level, which can be stabilising in the long run but sometimes feels unsettled in the short term.

Raddlebarn Primary School looks best suited to families who value a reading-first approach, clear behaviour expectations, and a values-led culture that takes inclusion seriously. Results in this profile are a genuine strength, especially in the combined reading, writing and maths measures and the higher standard outcomes. The main challenge is admission pressure, and the other watch-point is consistency, which is worth exploring in conversation with the school, particularly for children who are sensitive to changes in teaching style.