Cedars Academy

About Cedars Academy

Cedars Academy is a state primary for children aged 7 to 11 in Birmingham, currently home to 318 pupils against a capacity of 360, meaning there is some room to grow. The school serves a community with a notably high level of disadvantage: 56.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average and a key factor for parents weighing up the school's context. Despite this, the school appears to be in demand. While the data doesn't give a precise oversubscription figure, the fact that it is not yet at full capacity suggests it may be a more accessible option for families in the area compared to some of its oversubscribed neighbours. The school is non-denominational and mixed, and it has no nursery provision, so children typically join in Year 3. Headteacher Mark Pratt leads a school that, in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, was judged to have outstanding leadership and management, as well as outstanding personal development for pupils.

Academically, Cedars Academy's Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 paint a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 59%, which is slightly below the Birmingham local authority average of 63%. This places the school 159th out of 254 primary schools in the local authority ranking for that metric, putting it in the bottom half nationally. However, the picture is more nuanced when you look at individual subjects. In maths, 69% of pupils met the expected standard and the average score was 103, while in reading the expected standard was 65% with an average score of 104. Writing saw 69% reach the expected level. At the higher standard, 11% of pupils achieved the higher benchmark across all three subjects, with maths (27%) and reading (28%) showing stronger higher-attainment figures than writing (18%). The school does not publish progress scores, so it is difficult to say how much value it adds relative to pupils' starting points.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a sports hall, playing fields, a library, music rooms, an ICT suite and a forest school area, which supports its outdoor learning offer. Clubs include coding, science club, chess, book club, art club and choir, while sports provision covers rounders, football, gymnastics and dance. For families with children who have special educational needs, Cedars Academy lists provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 100% of respondents to the Parent View survey would recommend the school, with strong majorities agreeing that their child is happy, feels safe, and can take part in clubs and activities. This is a school that seems to suit families looking for a community-focused primary with strong pastoral care and a broad enrichment offer, particularly those who value a school that is open about the challenges its intake presents.

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