Hateley Heath Academy

About Hateley Heath Academy

Hateley Heath Academy is a state primary school in Sandwell, West Midlands, serving 428 pupils aged 3 to 11 under headteacher Rachael James. In the local authority’s ranking of 83 primary schools, Hateley Heath sits at 79th place, placing it in the bottom half of Sandwell’s schools. For context, the top-performing peers in the area are Grove Vale Primary School, Burnt Tree Primary School, and St Pauls Church of England Academy, all of which score significantly higher on the same ranking metric. The school is also within 0.3 kilometres of St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, one of Sandwell’s ten outstanding-rated primaries. Hateley Heath’s own most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in February 2024, awarded it a Good rating across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This marks a notable turnaround from its previous inspection in January 2020, when it was rated Inadequate overall.

Academically, the school’s Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 academic year show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 39%, well below the Sandwell local authority average of 60%. Individually, 63% met the expected standard in reading, 71% in writing, and 50% in maths. At the higher standard, the figures were lower: 16% in reading, 5% in writing, and 8% in maths. Average scaled scores were 102 in reading and 100 in maths, both in line with national expectations. Progress scores are not available for this school, so it is not possible to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom 8% of all primaries on the combined expected standard metric, and in the bottom 5% within the West Midlands region. These figures suggest that while the school is well-regarded by Ofsted, its academic outcomes are currently below local and national averages.

Hateley Heath offers a range of facilities including a Forest School, gymnasium, sensory room, dining hall, and a chapel. Sports provision covers dance, football, rounders, cricket, tennis, and cross country, while clubs include coding, drama, and choir. The school has a nursery provision and a dedicated set of SEND provisions, supporting pupils with moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed: it received 63 applications for 49 places, with 43 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.29. This suggests it is a popular choice locally, particularly for families who value its inclusive SEND support and the range of enrichment activities. The school is non-denominational and co-educational, and does not have a sixth form. It would suit families in Sandwell seeking a Good-rated primary with strong pastoral and SEND provision, though those prioritising top-tier academic results may want to look at higher-ranked peers in the area.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Hateley Heath Academy

Helpful Guides for Parents