School Chooser

Alumwell Junior School

Primary · ages 7-11MixedCouncil360 pupilsWalsall
School Chooser Score
16
Below
similar schools
Likely range 9 to 26
Out of 100. Better than 30% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, May 2023
Reached the expected level at 1153%England 63%
Attendance92.9%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families56%Far more than most schools
PlacesFull360 pupils, 360 places
Pupils per teacher18.0School workforce census

Alumwell Junior School is a council school in Walsall for boys and girls aged 7 to 11. It has 360 pupils and every place is taken. About 56 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 16 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 30% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Primley Avenue, Walsall, WS2 9UP01922 721391alumwelljuniorschool.co.ukMrs Kerry Boam Lisa Upton headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 10 May 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

90 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1153%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level6%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score105.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 41%41%20172018: 64%64%20182019: 57%57%20192023: 43%43%20232024: 50%50%20242025: 53%53%2025
Since 2017: +12%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017WalsallEngland
Pupils tested909094929090
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths53%50%43%57%64%41%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths6%2%4%3%6%4%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score105.0103.0102.0101.0105.0101.0105.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0103.0102.0102.0105.0101.0104.3104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0101.0102.0102.0107.0103.0105.7105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard72%66%55%66%74%58%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard64%66%59%64%78%58%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)61%56%57%76%77%63%
Reading progressReading progress score-3.2-2.7-0.8-2.8
Maths progressMaths progress score-2.9-3.1-0.2-2.5
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged41%51%36%46%55%31%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged68%49%49%64%74%55%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 4 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
41%68%
Gap 27 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
57%50%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
57%53%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
2%6%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Full361 pupils for 360 places, 2024/25
100% full

The school is full, with 1 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place. 86 families put it down as their first choice and 86 of them got in (100%).

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allFirst choices who got inHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary908695100%all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll360Census January 2026
Places360100% full
Pupils from low-income families56%56% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English53%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support15%53 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%16 pupils with a plan
Average class size30.210 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils60%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)54%£300,700 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls182 / 178
White British pupils15%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (28), Moderate learning difficulty (13), emotional and mental health (12), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (8), Physical disability (4), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll360360360364360359
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals56%55%54%53%48%46%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language53%60%63%60%53%49%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support15%13%11%11%10%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%3%4%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance92.9%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school23.6%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.82024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission3.2%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence7.1%6.4%8.0%6.5%5.0%3.9%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.9%3.5%4.4%4.0%3.5%2.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence3.2%2.9%3.6%2.5%1.5%1.1%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence23.6%19.8%28.8%19.6%11.9%4.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.81.12.84.72.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers20.0full-time equivalent, 21 people
Pupils per teacher18.0Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers95%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants14.3full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£53,078
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher12.62024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,991England £7,738. Total £2.5m
Income per pupil£7,291England £7,697. Total £2.6m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,586England £3,480
Money in reserve11%A healthy amount put by: £283k, £785 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£108kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,991spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m25912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate145 per 1,000 people59% higher than the England average
Typical house price£221,288Walsall

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Alumwell Infant SchoolCouncil0 m267Good 202410Compare
Reedswood E-ACT AcademyAcademy520 m478Report card 202694Compare
King Charles Primary SchoolCouncil800 m436Good 202013Compare
Birchills Church of England Community AcademyAcademy0.7 miles442Good 20248Compare
County Bridge Primary SchoolCouncil0.9 miles229Good 202287Compare
Croft AcademyAcademy0.9 miles246No overall grade 202477Compare
Bentley West Primary SchoolAcademy0.9 miles436Requires improvement 20221Compare
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, WalsallRoman Catholic1.0 miles223Report card 202631Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Alumwell Junior School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats30%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 16 is 17 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 33 · highest 98100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Alumwell Junior School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Salisbury Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles317Good 202446Compare
Blue Coat Church of England Aided Junior SchoolChurch of England1.5 miles366Not inspected51Compare
Woden Primary SchoolAcademy4.6 miles448No overall grade 202544Compare
Grove Primary AcademyAcademy4.7 miles441Good 202432Compare
Rookery SchoolAcademy5.9 miles453Good 202337Compare
Heathfield Primary SchoolAcademy6.9 miles483Good 202485Compare
SS Mary & John Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy8.2 miles424Good 202345Compare
Oasis Academy WoodviewAcademy9.3 miles392No overall grade 202555Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 16 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 16% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 9 to 26. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.16
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 90 pupils
Ofsted inspection19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.25
DfE progress measure; 90 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.07
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.14
2024/25; 381 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.03
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 90 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Alumwell Junior School a good school?

The figures are weak. Alumwell Junior School scores 16 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 30% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 9 to 26, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Alumwell Junior School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Alumwell Junior School good at its last full inspection on 10 May 2023.

How good are Alumwell Junior School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 53% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 6% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Alumwell Junior School have?

360 pupils aged 7 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 360 places, so it is 100% full.

Is Alumwell Junior School oversubscribed?

Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 1 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.

What is attendance like at Alumwell Junior School?

Pupils were in school 92.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 24% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Alumwell Junior School?

The average class had 30.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 60% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Primley Avenue, Walsall, WS2 9UP
Telephone
01922 721391
Website
www.alumwelljuniorschool.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Kerry Boam Lisa Upton
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 7-11
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Walsall
Ward
Pleck
Constituency
Walsall and Bloxwich
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
104142 · LAESTAB 3352000 · UKPRN 10071483

Where these figures come from