Bilston Church of England Primary School

About Bilston Church of England Primary School

Bilston Church of England Primary School sits within the Wolverhampton local authority, a large primary phase with 72 schools. The school currently ranks 57th out of these 60 schools, placing it in the bottom half of the local league table. For context, the top-performing peers in the area include St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School, Oak Meadow Primary School, and Bushbury Lane Academy, all of which score significantly higher on the same ranking metric. Bilston's ranking score of 44 is based on the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2. The school is a state-funded, mixed primary for children aged 5 to 11, with a Church of England religious character. It is led by headteacher Gary Gentle and currently accommodates 460 pupils, slightly above its official capacity of 454. Over half of its pupils (51.1%) are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average.

Academically, Bilston's most recent Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 year show that 44% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. This is significantly below the Wolverhampton local authority average of 64%. In individual subjects, 67% reached the expected standard in reading, 66% in writing, and 63% in maths. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard in these subjects was low: 5% in reading, 8% in writing, and 11% in maths. Only 2% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects. The school's average scaled scores were 101 in reading and 102 in maths. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, carried out in 2015, the school was rated Good overall, with Good ratings for leadership and management and early years provision. An ungraded inspection in July 2024 confirmed that the school remains Good. This marks a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2013, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

The school offers a broad range of facilities, including playing fields, a sports hall, ICT suite, art studios, music rooms, a dining hall, a chapel, and a forest school. Sports on offer include cricket, tennis, football, rounders, dance, and cross country, while clubs cover coding, drama, eco club, and gardening. For pupils with additional needs, the school provides support for moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and other difficulties. Bilston was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving 126 applications for 59 places, with 76 first-preference applications and 58 first-preference offers. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary school is East Park Academy, 1.3 km away. This school will suit families in Wolverhampton who value a Church of England setting and a supportive environment for pupils with a wide range of SEND needs, though they should be aware of the below-average academic outcomes.

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