Chandos Primary School

About Chandos Primary School

Chandos Primary School in Birmingham is a state-funded, mixed-gender primary for children aged 2 to 11, currently home to 444 pupils against a capacity of 468. That means it is running very close to full, with only 24 spare places. The school serves a community with high levels of disadvantage: 52.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average for primary schools. Demand is strong — for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 91 applications for 43 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.12. Of those, 35 were first-preference applications, and all 35 received offers. This suggests that while the school is popular locally, it is not so oversubscribed that first-preference families are routinely turned away. The headteacher is Debbie Norbury, and the school has no religious character. It also offers nursery provision for children from age 2, which may be a practical draw for local families.

Academically, the picture is mixed. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024, the school was rated Requires Improvement overall, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2019. The inspection found that the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all require improvement, though early years provision and personal development were both rated Good. At Key Stage 2, 54% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — below the Birmingham local authority average of 63%. Just 6% reached the higher standard in all three subjects. In maths, the average score was 104, with 69% reaching the expected standard and 22% achieving a higher standard. Reading and writing scores were similar, with 65% and 78% reaching the expected standard respectively. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom 50% of primaries on its combined KS2 score.

The school offers a decent range of facilities including a library, dining hall, art studios, ICT suite and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, cricket, dance, swimming and tennis, and there are clubs for coding, film, chess and choir. For children with additional needs, the school supports five categories: moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health, speech language and communication, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. Given its Requires Improvement rating and below-average KS2 outcomes, Chandos may suit families who value its inclusive SEND offer and nursery provision, and who are comfortable with a school that is actively working through an improvement plan. The nearest Outstanding-rated school, Lift Percy Shurmer, is only 0.4 km away, so families with higher academic priorities may want to compare options closely.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Chandos Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents