Palfrey Junior School

About Palfrey Junior School

Palfrey Junior School sits within the Walsall local authority, where it ranks 44th out of 58 primary schools on the key stage 2 expected standard measure. That places it in the bottom half of schools locally, well behind the top-performing peers in the area. The highest-ranked school in Walsall is St Anne's Catholic Primary School, Streetly, followed by Croft Academy and St Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary School. Palfrey Junior is a state-funded, mixed-gender primary for children aged 7 to 11, with no religious character and no nursery or sixth form provision. The school is currently oversubscribed, with 361 pupils on roll against a capacity of 360. Headteacher Cheryl Collis leads a school where nearly half of pupils — 48.8 per cent — are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. The nearest school rated Outstanding by Ofsted is Whitehall Nursery and Infant Academy, just 0.6 kilometres away.

In its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2022, Palfrey Junior School was rated Good overall, with Good across all four graded categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This marks a clear improvement from its previous inspection in December 2017, when the school was rated Requires Improvement. At key stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 52 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — below the Walsall local authority average of 61 per cent. Only 3 per cent of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects. In individual subjects, 71 per cent met the expected standard in maths, 70 per cent in reading, and 64 per cent in writing. Average scaled scores were 104 in both reading and maths. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a gymnasium, sports hall, music rooms, ICT suite, art studios, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports provision covers netball, football, rounders, cricket and gymnastics, while extracurricular clubs include gardening, coding, book club, eco club, chess and art club. The school’s SEND register covers moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and hearing impairment — so it is equipped to support a broad spectrum of additional needs. Given its high proportion of pupils on free school meals and its below-average attainment, Palfrey Junior is likely to suit families who prioritise a supportive, inclusive environment over top-tier academic results. Its oversubscription suggests strong local demand, and the improvement trajectory from Requires Improvement to Good will reassure parents looking for a school heading in the right direction.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Palfrey Junior School

Helpful Guides for Parents