Forestdale Primary School

Forestdale Primary School

Address: Wareham Road, Frankley, Birmingham, West Midlands, B45 0JS Unique reference number (URN): 133759

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school’s welcoming and inclusive culture helps all pupils feel a sense of belonging. Leaders identify pupils’ needs and any barriers they may face quickly and accurately. This includes disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known (or previously known) to social care. Leaders use this information to put support in place for those who need it.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Clear systems and processes help staff respond to pupils’ needs. Staff receive high-quality training and know pupils well. They typically make thoughtful adaptations to their teaching and the environment which enable pupils to access the full curriculum. Leaders have worked hard to ensure classrooms are communication-friendly, which supports pupils’ language development. Leaders work closely with external specialists to ensure pupils receive the support they need. As a result, pupils’ barriers to learning and wellbeing generally reduce over time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The needs of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding are identified and addressed through academic and pastoral provision. Progress is tracked and leaders ensure that pupils are supported to improve their behaviour, learning and well-being.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children known (or previously known) to children’s social care are supported well. Leaders work effectively with external agencies, including the virtual school. This enables pupils to flourish and learn.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over time, pupils do not achieve as well as they should in reading, writing and mathematics. This is reflected in pupils’ achievement in national tests at the end of key stage 2, and in the Year 1 phonics screening check, which are typically below national averages. This means that pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage in their education as they should be. Most pupils in Year 4 achieve well in the national multiplication tables check.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally progress well from their starting points. This is due to the well-considered support provided for their needs.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils do not consistently secure the important knowledge and skills they need in the wider curriculum. This is reflected in the quality of their written work. Leaders have rightly started to take steps to address this to improve pupils’ achievement. These actions are in the early stages.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Despite leaders' efforts, pupils' rates of attendance remain below national averages, including for those who are disadvantaged. Too many pupils miss school through persistent absences. Leaders monitor attendance closely and promote the importance of being in school through newsletters, assemblies and rewards. They work hard to build trusting relationships with families and remove barriers that prevent pupils from attending regularly. For pupils who struggle the most, staff plan small, achievable steps to help them return to school with confidence. Where appropriate support is in place, attendance has improved for some pupils. However, leaders recognise that further work is needed to secure sustained improvement for all.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils' behaviour across the school is typically calm and orderly. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and positive. Staff make suitable adaptations for pupils who find it difficult to manage their emotions, helping them regulate and engage in learning. Leaders work with staff and external agencies to ensure that the right support is in place. Around school, pupils move purposefully and respectfully, greeting adults and each other politely. In lessons, most pupils show positive attitudes to learning. Incidents of bullying or discrimination are rare. Leaders deal with any concerns quickly and effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum across all subjects. It is planned to ensure that pupils develop secure knowledge and skills that build on what they already know. Leaders are ambitious for the curriculum to be well taught. However, there are inconsistencies in how effectively this takes place across the school. On occasion, staff do not check how well pupils understand what they are learning in lessons. Expectations of handwriting and punctuation are variable, and teacher modelling is not always accurate. In some lessons, tasks are not matched well to pupils’ needs. This means that some pupils lose focus and do not learn as well as they should.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teaching of early reading is effective. Leaders prioritise the teaching of reading and well- trained staff provide daily phonics sessions that enable most pupils to become confident readers. Any pupils who need extra help are supported to catch up quickly.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Staff generally ensure their teaching is adapted to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This means pupils can access their learning. Leaders monitor these adaptations and make changes when needed.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders’ recent work to make sure all pupils secure the essential knowledge and skills they need is still at the early stages and has not yet begun to show impact.

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Early years Needs attention

Leaders know that provision in the early years needs improving and have already begun to implement changes to address this. The quality of interactions between adults and children is variable. Errors in basic skills, such as letter formation, are not consistently addressed by staff. The outdoor environment does not provide enough opportunities for children to practise what they have learned. Leaders are training staff to ensure all adults are skilled at developing and extending children’s vocabulary and language. However, these improvements are at an early stage of implementation.

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Early years Needs attention

Leaders have established a clear, well-sequenced curriculum. Children’s communication and language development is prioritised through stories, nursery rhymes and songs. Phonics is taught effectively and children follow clear and consistent routines well. They are encouraged to concentrate, explore and follow their interests.

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Early years Needs attention

Relationships between adults and children are warm and nurturing, meaning children are happy and feel safe. It is an inclusive environment where children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported effectively. Transition arrangements are effective, and parents are appropriately involved in children’s learning. On the whole, most children are well prepared for the move into Year 1.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders know their school well. They generally take appropriate action to secure necessary improvement. However, in the past, their actions have been slow to take effect. Recent changes in leadership are resulting in improvements being made more quickly. In areas such as achievement and attendance, there is evidence of positive impact from leaders' actions. However, these improvements are still in the early stages and leaders know there is still more work to do.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities, for example in relation to safeguarding and for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. While governors can outline how pupil premium funding is used, they cannot always clearly demonstrate the impact it has. Governors are clear about areas for improvement and provide a suitable balance of support and challenge.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff value the training they receive. They report that they are well supported by school leaders and that their workload and wellbeing are thoughtfully considered. Parents and carers are positive about the school. They appreciate the support that staff provide for their pupils. Parents are confident that their children are happy and enjoy school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have ensured that a personal, social and health education curriculum and relationships and sex education curriculum are in place that meet statutory requirements. Pupils can recall how to stay safe online and in their local community. They know how to keep physically and mentally healthy and can recognise the difference between right and wrong. However, pupils have a limited understanding of concepts such as tolerance or the rule of law. They are unable to talk in any detail about different world religions and uncertain about life in other cultures. This limits how well they are prepared for life in a diverse world.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

There are limited wider opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests or leadership skills. While every child is taught to play a musical instrument, and some clubs are offered, such as debating and netball, there are fewer opportunities for further sport, art and digital technology experiences. Leaders do not check how many pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are in receipt of pupil premium funding participate in the wider opportunities that are available. This limits how well these pupils are able to broaden their horizons. There are visits planned to support curriculum learning and visitors are invited into school. For example, pupils have visited a science museum and botanical gardens and had a Stone Age experience in school. Pupils would like more opportunities to have a voice in school life.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pastoral care is a strength of the school. The nurturing approach allocates carefully chosen key adults to those pupils who need support. There are a range of interventions to help pupils manage their emotions and feelings, such as sensory stories and lunchtime clubs. Pupils who have accessed these have seen improvements in their wellbeing, attendance and behaviour.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils at Forestdale Primary School are polite and happy. They like coming to school because they enjoy learning, feel safe and are well cared for. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities take part fully in school life. Staff know their needs well.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils typically behave well in lessons and around the school site. They are respectful of one another and generally work and play well together. Relationships between adults and pupils are warm and caring. When pupils struggle to manage their emotions, staff support them to make positive choices. Bullying is rare, and pupils trust staff to support them with any concerns quickly and effectively.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils access a broad and sequenced curriculum. However, the teaching of the curriculum is inconsistent across the school. Pupils' achievement in national tests at the end of key stage 2 over time show that they do not achieve as well as their peers nationally. Leaders have made changes this year to improve how well pupils learn. In the early years, children develop appropriate knowledge across all areas of learning. Most children are well prepared for Year 1. Pupils achieve well in the multiplication tables check at the end of Year 4.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Too many pupils do not attend school often enough. Leaders work closely with families to reduce the barriers that some pupils face, and this is helping attendance to improve for some. However, a significant number of pupils continue to miss too much school, which affects their learning.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy the opportunities the school provides beyond the classroom. Educational visits and visitors help broaden their understanding of the wider world. Pupils take part in a range of clubs, such as debating, choir and netball, which help them develop resilience and explore new interests.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that misconceptions and errors in pupils' foundational knowledge, including letter formation, grammar and punctuation, are consistently addressed.

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Lead inspector:

Claire Medhurst, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Mark Cadwallader, Ofsted Inspector Andrew Tilley, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Leaders should ensure that all pupils experience consistently effective teaching to improve outcomes at the end of key stage 2 so that pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Leaders should continue to tackle absence, including persistent absence, so that the attendance for all groups of pupils is broadly in line with national averages. Leaders should widen the opportunities pupils have to develop their character and responsibilities so that they are fully prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders should ensure that all staff consistently engage in high-quality interactions with children to further develop their communication and language so that they are ready for Year 1. All leaders should continue to raise the expectations of staff to drive rapid improvement across all areas of the school’s work.

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About this inspection

The co-chairs of the board of governors in this school are Mr Adrian Ridge and Miss Chris Lea.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with school leaders, including the headteacher and deputy headteacher, during the inspection. They also spoke with representatives of the governing body and the local authority.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school: The school does not use alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Mr David Foster This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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About this inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 23 June 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 56% 62% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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