School Chooser

Dingle Community Primary School

Primary · ages 5-11MixedCouncil188 pupilsKingswinfordDudley
School Chooser Score
26
Below
similar schools
Likely range 12 to 49, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 20% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, January 2025
Reached the expected level at 1167%England 63%
Attendance94.3%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families25%About the same as most schools in England
Places22 spare188 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher21.9School workforce census

Dingle Community Primary School is a council school in Kingswinford for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 188 pupils and room for 210. About 24 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 26 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 20% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Madeley Road, Kingswinford, DY6 8PF01384 283699dingle.dudley.sch.ukMs Nichola Heather headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 28 January 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

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

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1167%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level8%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score103.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 45%45%20172018: 55%55%20182019: 60%60%20192023: 53%53%20232024: 50%50%20242025: 67%67%2025
Since 2017: +22%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017DudleyEngland
Pupils tested243030252029
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths67%50%53%60%55%45%63%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths8%7%7%8%15%7%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0104.0105.0103.0105.0103.0105.0105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score103.0101.0102.0102.0106.0100.0104.0104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score102.0105.0105.0104.0107.0103.0105.0105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard75%60%70%72%75%69%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard75%60%63%60%75%62%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)67%83%77%72%70%62%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.8-0.6-0.8+1.7
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.1-1.8+0.9-2.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged30%57%63%67%27%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged60%52%59%50%56%

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. None of the gaps is 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 11Boys vs girls
75%58%
Gap 17 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.

A few spare places179 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
85% full

About 31 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 3.8 miles away in 2026. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

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. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 3.8 miles from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary301569303.8 milesLA
2025 Primary30326729LA
2024 Primary30275729all 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 roll188Census January 2026
Places21090% full
Pupils from low-income families25%25% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English9%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%31 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan6%11 pupils with a plan
Average class size26.56 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)22%£65,100 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls96 / 92
White British pupils78%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 26.7 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.3 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (15), language and communications needs (15), Autistic spectrum disorder (3), Vision impairment (3), Moderate learning difficulty (2), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll188177182193182187
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals25%20%25%23%18%23%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language9%6%7%6%7%6%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support18%17%15%18%18%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans6%4%2%3%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.3%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school16.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils14.72024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.5%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.7%5.9%6.8%7.0%4.0%4.5%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.2%4.2%4.9%5.7%3.2%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.5%1.7%2.0%1.3%0.8%1.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence16.7%11.9%18.0%24.1%6.8%10.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate14.710.48.33.90.5
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions01000

Staff and money

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

Teachers8.6full-time equivalent, 10 people
Pupils per teacher21.9Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants8.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,701
Teachers who left in the year43%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.52024/25

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£8,188England £7,738. Total £1.4m
Income per pupil£7,940England £7,697. Total £1.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,396England £3,480
Money in reserve0%Very little put by: £844, £5 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£44kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£8,188spent 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 m11912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate43 per 1,000 people52% lower than the England average
Typical house price£236,000Dudley

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
Bromley Hills Primary SchoolCouncil570 m282Not inspected27Compare
Crestwood Park Primary SchoolCouncil700 m210Good 202236Compare
Hawbush Primary SchoolAcademy990 m214Requires improvement 202110Compare
Fairhaven Primary SchoolAcademy0.7 miles251Requires improvement 202110Compare
The Bromley-Pensnett Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles243Good 202325Compare
Brockmoor Primary SchoolCouncil0.8 miles439Good 202281Compare
Brook Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles380Good 202239Compare
Glynne Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles474Good 202380Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Dingle Community Primary School with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats20%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 26 is 14 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 39 · highest 83100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Dingle Community Primary 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
Crestwood Park Primary SchoolCouncil700 m210Good 202236Compare
St Margaret's At Hasbury CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England4.7 miles193Good 202356Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 26 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 26% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 12 to 49. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. 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%in line
-0.07
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 24 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%below
-0.20
Ofsted grade, 1.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.05
DfE progress measure; 24 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.06
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.04
2024/25; 162 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.02
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 24 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 Dingle Community Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Dingle Community Primary School scores 26 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 20% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 12 to 49, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Dingle Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Dingle Community Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 28 January 2025.

How good are Dingle Community Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 67% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 8% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Dingle Community Primary School have?

188 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 90% full.

Is Dingle Community Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 3.8 miles away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.

What is attendance like at Dingle Community Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 17% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Dingle Community Primary School?

The average class had 26.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class 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
Madeley Road, Kingswinford, DY6 8PF
Telephone
01384 283699
Website
www.dingle.dudley.sch.uk
Headteacher
Ms Nichola Heather
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 5-11
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Dudley
Ward
Wordsley North
Constituency
Kingswinford and South Staffordshire
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
103829 · LAESTAB 3322152 · UKPRN 10069982

Where these figures come from