SchoolScoresBirches First School
Academy · Primary, ages 3 to 9 · Mixed · Nursery class
Part of CODSALL MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Birches Avenue, Codsall, Wolverhampton, WV8 2JG
01902 297910 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 28 November 2023.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
70 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 4 September 2023 and 2 September 2024.
Wolverhampton comparisons use the 43 of its 82 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 39 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | Wolverhampton | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 39th highest of 43 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wolverhampton. Higher than 14% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 86% | 95% | 88% |
| My child feels safe at this school Joint 40th highest of 43 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wolverhampton. Higher than 13% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 86% | 95% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved Joint 26th highest of 43 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wolverhampton. Higher than 31% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 86% | 90% | 84% |
| Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 23 parents whose child had been bullied 14th highest of 16 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wolverhampton. Higher than 10% of 6,022 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 35% | 54% | 49% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 53 parents who had raised a concern 39th highest of 40 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wolverhampton. Higher than 6% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 58% | 82% | 75% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent 42nd highest of 43 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wolverhampton. Higher than 7% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 67%said yes | 89% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Wolverhampton figures pool parents at the Wolverhampton schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Staffordshire. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.
| Places offered | 29 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 28 |
| Of those, offered a place | 26 (93%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 100 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.1 · 2025: 1.3 · 2026: 1.0
This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.
Pupils, staff and SEND
Specialist SEND provision: this school has resourced provision with 150 places. These places are usually allocated through the council's SEND team.
| Pupils | This school | Staffordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 82nd highest of 82 state primary schools in Wolverhampton. Higher than 6% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 6.1% | 20.9%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 48th highest of 82 state primary schools in Wolverhampton. Higher than 32% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 2.2% | 2.1%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support Joint 17th highest of 82 state primary schools in Wolverhampton. Higher than 65% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 16.7% | 13.6%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 71st highest of 82 state primary schools in Wolverhampton. Higher than 21% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 2.8% | 9.6%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) Joint 18th lowest of 81 state primary schools in Wolverhampton. Lower than 75% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 4.2% | 4.7%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 21st lowest of 81 state primary schools in Wolverhampton. Lower than 67% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 9.0% | 10.2%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils Joint 1st lowest of 82 state primary schools in Wolverhampton. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once Joint 1st lowest of 82 state primary schools in Wolverhampton. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.07% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher Joint 13th highest of 82 state primary schools in Wolverhampton. Higher than 84% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 23.7 | 21.4 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) Joint 20th highest of 82 state primary schools in Wolverhampton. Higher than 73% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 12.1 | 11.4 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year Joint 50th highest of 81 state primary schools in Wolverhampton. Higher than 32% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 8.2% | 13.2%* | 14.4%* |
Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby primary schools
- St Christopher's Catholic Primary Academy 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013, before conversion), confirmed 2024 · 67% met expected standard (KS2)
- Palmers Cross Primary School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2024 · 55% met expected standard (KS2)
- Lane Green First School 0.7 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025)
- Dovecotes Primary School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023, before conversion) · 72% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Nicholas CofE First School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013, before conversion), confirmed 2025
- Claregate Primary School 1.3 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 4 expected, 3 needs attention · 69% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Paul's CofE Aided Primary School 1.4 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 31% met expected standard (KS2)
- Woodthorne Primary School 1.5 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014, before conversion), confirmed 2023 · 69% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Michael's CofE Primary Academy 1.6 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2017, before conversion), confirmed 2024 · 72% met expected standard (KS2)
- SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary Academy and Nursery 1.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2024 · 64% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Birches First School's Ofsted rating?
Birches First School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 28 November 2023.
Would parents recommend Birches First School?
67% of the 70 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 4 September 2023 and 2 September 2024 said they would recommend Birches First School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Birches First School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 28 families put Birches First School as their first choice for 29 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 26 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 144935.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 4 September 2023 to 2 September 2024.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.