St John's & St Peter's CofE Primary

This is a one-form entry Church of England primary serving Ladywood, with around 210 pupils from Reception to Year 6. It sits within Fioretti Trust and describes itself as a “welcoming school family”, with community partnerships and inclusion positioned as central rather than peripheral.

Leadership is currently interim. The school website introduces Jake Bateson as Interim Headteacher, and the government’s official records also lists Mr Jake Bateson as headteacher/principal.

On inspection, the most recent published Ofsted visit was in April 2024 and confirmed the school continues to be Good.

The school’s public-facing narrative is unusually explicit about belonging and community ties. It highlights work with local churches including St John’s and St Peter’s Church and Gas Street Church, plus local partners such as The Ladywood Project, and it frames volunteers as part of the fabric of day-to-day support.

Faith is present as an organising thread, but the tone is inclusive. The Collective Worship page explains a “Bible Verse of the Half Term” chosen to be accessible to all faiths, and sets out a devotional programme built around Bible teaching, Fundamental British Values, and school values. This will suit families who appreciate a clear Christian identity without wanting something that feels closed to those from different backgrounds.

A distinctive element is the school’s emphasis on pupil leadership and service roles. The School Council is described as a representative body with elected members by year group, linked into staff and governance conversations. The Faith Team is presented as spiritual leadership, including leading devotions and supporting prayer. School Ambassadors are positioned as role models who welcome visitors, support peers at playtimes, and contribute to School of Sanctuary work.

The School of Sanctuary accreditation is another clear identity marker. The school explains this as a commitment to being safe and welcoming, especially for those seeking sanctuary, and it links that directly back to the school’s stated vision. For families new to the area, or those with children who have experienced transition and disruption, that explicit framing may be reassuring.

Key Stage 2 outcomes in the current dataset sit at 70% on the headline combined expected-standard measure, with a more mixed picture in the detail.

• In the current dataset, 70% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined.

• At the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, 0% reached this level, although 30% reached the higher standard in reading and 50% achieved high scores in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Scaled scores indicate broadly steady attainment: reading 103, mathematics 101, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 106.

On FindMySchool’s proprietary ranking for primary outcomes based on official data, the school is ranked 7,440th out of 14,978 schools in England for academic outcomes and 157th in Birmingham for primary overall outcomes. This is now a middle national position rather than the earlier bottom-40% wording.

The school’s curriculum framing is practical and relationship-led. It explicitly links curriculum design to knowing pupils well, and it describes using practical experiences to “hook” learning, alongside a thematic approach that revisits prior knowledge and aims for consistent teaching.

A useful lens for families is how this interacts with the results profile. With 70% reaching the combined expected standard and the overall rank position now close to the middle nationally, the likely story is variability within cohorts, plus room to build more consistent attainment at the top end across subjects. The combined higher-standard figure is currently 0%, so parents of high-attaining pupils should ask how stretch is built across the curriculum.

Inspection evidence matters here, because it is the best external cross-check on whether curriculum intent is translating into classroom routines. The April 2024 Ofsted report confirms the school continues to be Good, which supports the idea of a stable baseline of quality while the school continues refining its approach.

As a state primary, the main transition question is secondary pathways. Families in Ladywood typically look at a mix of local Birmingham non-selective secondaries, plus selective routes for children aiming for grammar schools where appropriate. The school’s own published information emphasises partnership, belonging, and community engagement; that generally aligns with strong transition work at the end of Year 6, though families should still ask directly about secondary liaison, Year 6 transition support, and how the school helps pupils settle into Year 7 routines.

Parents comparing options can also use FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages to view primary outcomes across Birmingham side-by-side, which is particularly helpful when schools have similar Ofsted judgements but different attainment profiles.

Admission pressure should be checked against the latest Birmingham admissions information rather than older applications-to-offers figures. Families should still plan realistic preferences and read the published oversubscription criteria carefully.

Applications for Reception are coordinated through Birmingham City Council. For September 2027 entry, Birmingham’s published timetable states the application period starts on 1 October 2026, the closing date is 15 January 2027, and National Offer Day is 16 April 2027.

The school also notes that a Supplementary Information Form is used for families making a faith claim.

If you are weighing a move partly for admissions, it is sensible to treat “oversubscribed” as the default position and plan accordingly. Families can use FindMySchoolMap Search to check their home-to-school distance against typical local patterns, then validate the practical reality with the local authority’s admissions guidance and the school’s current policy.

The pastoral pitch is explicit: nurture, wellbeing and belonging are repeated themes, and the school highlights its “welcoming school family” language across multiple pages.

Two concrete indicators stand out. First, the School of Sanctuary commitment frames the school as intentionally safe and inclusive, with an emphasis on dispelling negative myths and building empathy. Second, structured pupil roles such as Ambassadors and the Faith Team are designed to embed peer support and shared responsibility into the culture, not just staff-led behaviour management.

For parents assessing fit, a useful question is how consistently that culture is experienced across year groups, particularly at busier moments such as lunch and transitions between lessons. Asking about behaviour routines, sanctions, and pastoral escalation pathways will give a clearer picture than values statements alone.

The school’s extended offer is described through both wraparound and extracurricular provision. Breakfast Club is advertised as running from 7:30am until the start of school at 8:40am.

In its Before and After School Club Policy, the school describes an after-school club model that usually runs from 3:15pm to 4:15pm for half a term, typically 5 to 7 weeks, with a sign-up fee per club. The same policy gives examples of activities delivered through internal staff and external specialists, including Capoeira, Football, Art, and Drama.

Beyond clubs, there is a strong community-facing programme. The Big Breakfast is described as a monthly event with free breakfast, pancakes, crafts, sports and games, open to the local community and run with volunteers. This is not a typical “club list” offering, but it is a meaningful enrichment strand for families who value community connection and informal social opportunities around the school.

The published school day runs with gates open from 8:40am to 9:00am, and home time listed at 3:20pm to 3:25pm, with gates closing at 3:35pm.

Breakfast Club runs from 7:30am to 8:40am. Details on availability are directed through the school office.

The school sits in Ladywood, close to central Birmingham. For transport planning, families should assess walking routes, bus links, and peak-time traffic around drop-off and pick-up; asking about any on-site parking arrangements or preferred access points is worthwhile, as urban sites can be constrained.

• Admissions pressure needs checking. Older applications-to-offers figures should not be treated as current demand data. Families should read the latest oversubscription criteria and use realistic backup preferences.

• Results profile is mixed. The combined expected-standard figure is 70% in the current dataset and the overall rank position is close to the middle nationally, but the combined higher-standard figure is 0%, so ask how the school is strengthening stretch and consistency across cohorts.

• Leadership is interim. Jake Bateson is presented as Interim Headteacher, which can mean change in direction or consolidation depending on the trust’s plans. Ask about leadership stability and the timetable for permanent appointment.

• Wraparound beyond breakfast. Breakfast Club is clearly described, and after-school clubs are described as a programme that runs in blocks. Families needing daily after-school childcare should check current arrangements and capacity.

A small, community-rooted Ladywood primary with a clear Church of England identity, visible pupil leadership roles, and a purposeful emphasis on welcome and inclusion, including School of Sanctuary accreditation. Current academic outcomes show 70% meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, though the broader attainment profile suggests a school still working on consistency and higher-standard outcomes. Best suited to families who value a faith-informed ethos with inclusive language, appreciate structured routines and leadership opportunities for pupils, and can manage the practical challenge of checking admissions priority carefully.