School Chooser

Wrens Nest Primary School

Primary · ages 2-11MixedCouncil537 pupilsNurseryDudley
School Chooser Score
61
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 41 to 77
Out of 100. Better than 72% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedStrong teachingOfsted report card, May 2026
Reached the expected level at 1167%England 63%
Attendance92.4%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families58%Far more than most schools
Places13 spare537 pupils, 550 places
Pupils per teacher17.0School workforce census

Wrens Nest Primary School is a council school in Dudley for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 537 pupils and room for 550. About 58 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 61 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 72% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in May 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Marigold Crescent, Wrens Nest Estate, Dudley, DY1 3NX01384 818515wrens-nest.dudley.sch.ukMrs Sarah Parkes headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 19 May 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
Strong
Achievement
As expected
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
Strong
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
Strong
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
9 March 2022S5 InspectionGood

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

60 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 level3%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
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: 36%36%20172018: 35%35%20182019: 26%26%20192023: 53%53%20232024: 63%63%20242025: 67%67%2025
Since 2017: +31%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017DudleyEngland
Pupils tested606060586056
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths67%63%53%26%35%36%63%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths3%12%8%2%2%5%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0104.0105.096.0100.0101.0105.0105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0103.0105.096.0100.0100.0104.0104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score106.0106.0104.097.0100.0102.0105.0105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard70%75%68%33%52%59%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard78%77%75%45%50%48%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)70%63%58%40%50%50%
Reading progressReading progress score+3.7-4.9-2.7-1.0
Maths progressMaths progress score+4.7-5.7-2.6-2.3
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged64%64%50%20%29%36%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged71%62%59%50%53%33%

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 3 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
64%71%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
48%84%
Gap 36 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
5%3%
Gap 2 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.

Full421 pupils for 420 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?

The last child to get a place lived 740 m away in 2026, 880 m away in 2025. 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 740 m 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 Primary606811760740 mLA
2025 Primary606611360880 mLA
2024 Primary606311058LA

The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.

What a home within 810 m of the school costs

Typical sale price within 810 m of the school£205,000half sold for £168k to £243k
Homes sold165December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district-14%a typical home in the district sells for £237,000

Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.

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 roll537Census January 2026
Places55098% full
Pupils from low-income families46%58% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English10%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support26%140 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan7%36 pupils with a plan
Average class size22.115 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)56%£364,250 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls266 / 271
White British pupils67%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 26.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 22.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (91), emotional and mental health (45), Moderate learning difficulty (27), Autistic spectrum disorder (5), Physical disability (3), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll537521508514521511
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals46%45%50%49%49%46%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language10%10%9%8%8%8%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support25%21%16%18%19%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans7%8%8%7%6%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.4% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance92.4%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school23.2%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission3.8%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence7.6%8.1%8.9%8.4%7.3%4.5%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.8%4.3%5.8%5.9%5.7%3.1%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence3.8%3.8%3.1%2.6%1.6%1.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence23.2%26.5%33.0%31.5%25.1%11.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.03.21.60.40.2
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers28.4full-time equivalent, 30 people
Pupils per teacher17.0Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants44.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,954
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.92024/25

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£9,155England £7,738. Total £4.3m
Income per pupil£8,450England £7,697. Total £4.0m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,763England £3,480
Money in reserve-17%In the red: -£691k, -£1,466 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£332kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£9,155spent 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 m36012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate137 per 1,000 people50% higher 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
Priory Primary SchoolAcademy930 m547No overall grade 20248Compare
Bramford Primary SchoolAcademy0.7 miles476Good 202479Compare
Milking Bank Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 milesNot inspectedCompare
Roberts Primary SchoolCouncil0.8 miles626Report card 202620Compare
Foxyards Primary SchoolAcademy0.9 miles338Good 202330Compare
Jesson's Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles703Requires improvement 20231Compare
Red Hall Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles429Good 202313Compare
St Chad's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy1.2 miles238Good 202381Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Wrens Nest Primary School with the 46 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 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats72%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 61 is 26 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 35 · highest 96100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 46 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Wrens Nest 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
Fordbridge Community Primary SchoolAcademy15.1 miles522Report card 202688Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 61 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 61% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 41 to 77. 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; 60 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.02
Ofsted report card, 0.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%well above
+0.22
DfE progress measure; 60 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.02
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.15
2024/25; 375 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.08
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 60 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 Wrens Nest Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Wrens Nest Primary School scores 61 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 72% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 41 to 77, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Wrens Nest Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 19 May 2026 it rated teaching as strong, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as as expected.

How good are Wrens Nest 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%. 3% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Wrens Nest Primary School have?

537 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 550 places, so it is 98% full.

Is Wrens Nest Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 740 m 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 Wrens Nest Primary School?

Pupils were in school 92.4% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 23% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Wrens Nest Primary School?

The average class had 22.1 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
Marigold Crescent, Wrens Nest Estate, Dudley, DY1 3NX
Telephone
01384 818515
Website
www.wrens-nest.dudley.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Sarah Parkes
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Dudley
Ward
Castle & Priory
Constituency
Dudley
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
103823 · LAESTAB 3322146 · UKPRN 10069984

Where these figures come from