School Chooser

Paganel Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademy404 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubBirmingham
School Chooser Score
28
Below
similar schools
Likely range 13 to 52, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 39% of the 50 schools most like it.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, March 2020
Reached the expected level at 1156%England 63%
Attendance92.6%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families64%Far more than most schools
Places42 spare404 pupils, 446 places
Pupils per teacher18.8School workforce census

Paganel Primary School is a converter academy in Birmingham for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 404 pupils and room for 446. About 64 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 28 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 39% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2020.

Swinford Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, B29 5TG0121 464 5040paganel.drbignitemat.orgMr James Hill headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 10 March 2020, 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
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

This inspection is more than 6 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1156%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level7%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score102.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 48%48%20172018: 67%67%20182019: 60%60%20192023: 46%46%20232024: 43%43%20242025: 56%56%2025
Since 2017: +8%
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure20252024†2023†2019†2018†2017†BirminghamEngland
Pupils tested555859533031
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths56%43%46%60%67%48%65%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths7%2%0%8%7%3%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0103.0102.0102.0104.0102.0105.6105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score102.0101.0101.0103.0103.0102.0104.9104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0102.0102.0105.0105.0104.0106.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard69%67%63%66%73%74%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard71%60%58%70%73%58%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)71%60%61%68%67%68%
Reading progressReading progress score-1.8-1.2-0.1-2.2
Maths progressMaths progress score-2.8-1.5-0.3-3.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged50%26%35%51%61%39%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged68%63%64%78%86%75%

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.

† These results are for Paganel Primary School, the school this one replaced in February 2024. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

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
50%68%
Gap 18 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
74%47%
Gap 27 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
63%56%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
8%7%
Gap 1 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 places398 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
95% full

About 22 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Birmingham council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

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 roll404Census January 2026
Places44691% full
Pupils from low-income families61%64% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English46%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support15%60 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%11 pupils with a plan
Average class size26.713 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)65%£382,850 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls188 / 216
White British pupils30%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 25.2 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 28.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (36), emotional and mental health (14), Autistic spectrum disorder (10), Moderate learning difficulty (8), Physical disability (2), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census20262025
Pupils on roll404431
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals61%59%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language46%39%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support17%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance92.6%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school24.9%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils4.22024/25, 2 permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.0%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/24†2022/23†2021/22†2020/21†2018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence7.4%7.2%8.1%9.1%5.6%6.0%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.4%5.1%5.6%6.6%3.8%4.0%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.0%2.1%2.5%2.5%1.8%2.0%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence24.9%23.1%29.1%31.8%18.0%19.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate4.2
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions2

† These attendance figures are for Paganel Primary School, the school this one replaced in February 2024. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Staff and money

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

Teachers21.0full-time equivalent, 22 people
Pupils per teacher18.8Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants8.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,289
Teachers who left in the year20%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.82024/25

Money

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

Spend per pupil£7,253England £7,128. Total £3.0m
Income per pupil£7,797England £7,587. Total £3.3m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,229England £3,405
Money in reserve9%A healthy amount put by: £290k, £693 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£228kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,253spent 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 m24912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate90 per 1,000 peopleabout the England average
Typical house price£235,000Birmingham

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
Jervoise SchoolAcademy420 m198Good 202448Compare
Princethorpe Junior SchoolAcademy870 m231Good 202374Compare
Princethorpe Infant SchoolAcademy870 m154No overall grade 202597Compare
Our Lady and St Rose of Lima Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic0.6 miles233Not inspected31Compare
Welsh House Farm Community School and Special Needs Resources BaseCouncil0.6 miles212Good 202412Compare
St Peters CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England0.8 miles430Good 202384Compare
Water Mill Primary SchoolCouncil0.9 miles205Report card 202650Compare
Nonsuch Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles190Report card 202625Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Paganel 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.

Beats39%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 28 is 10 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 37 · highest 99100

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 Paganel 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
Lift Four Dwellings PrimaryAcademy1.6 miles317Good 202381Compare
Barford Primary SchoolCouncil3.1 miles409Good 202345Compare
Canterbury Cross Primary SchoolAcademy5.5 miles481Not inspected61Compare
Manor Park Primary AcademyAcademy5.7 miles320Good 202437Compare
The Rosary Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy5.7 miles342Good 202433Compare
SS Mary & John Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy7.1 miles424Good 202345Compare
Oasis Academy Blakenhale JuniorAcademy8.1 miles330Not inspected71Compare
Lift Lea ForestAcademy8.2 miles536Outstanding 202299Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 28 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 28% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 13 to 52. 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%below
-0.15
2025 results; 55 pupils
Ofsted inspection12% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 6.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.04
Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 55 pupils
Direction of travel over five years0%no data
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.20
2024/25; 402 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
+0.02
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 55 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 Paganel Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Paganel Primary School scores 28 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 39% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 13 to 52, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Paganel Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Paganel Primary School good at its last full inspection on 10 March 2020. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.

How good are Paganel Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 56% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 7% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Paganel Primary School have?

404 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 446 places, so it is 91% full.

Is Paganel Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 22 places were empty in 2024/25 (5% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Paganel Primary School?

Pupils were in school 92.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 25% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Paganel Primary School?

The average class had 26.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Paganel Primary School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Swinford Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, B29 5TG
Telephone
0121 464 5040
Website
www.paganel.drbignitemat.org
Headteacher
Mr James Hill
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Drb Ignite Multi Academy Trust (14 schools)
Local authority
Birmingham
Ward
Weoley & Selly Oak
Constituency
Birmingham Northfield
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 February 2024 (academy converter)
URN
150148 · LAESTAB 3302021 · UKPRN 10093283
Formerly
Paganel Primary School

Where these figures come from