The Olive School, Small Heath

About The Olive School, Small Heath

The Olive School, Small Heath has been rated Outstanding in every category of its most recent Ofsted inspection, a remarkable turnaround from its previous Inadequate rating in 2017. The school now holds top marks for overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, early years provision, and leadership and management. This academic transformation is backed by strong Key Stage 2 results from the 2023/24 school year: 92% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Birmingham local authority average of just 63%. That places the school 4th out of 254 primary schools in the city, putting it in the top 2% locally and the top 1.5% nationally. The school’s ranking score of 92 puts it just behind Little Sutton Primary School (95) and Cromwell Junior and Infant School (93) among its closest peers.

Digging deeper into the exam data, the school’s performance is particularly strong in maths, where pupils achieved an average scaled score of 112 and 97% reached the expected standard, with 66% reaching the higher standard. Reading scores are similarly impressive, with an average of 110 and 93% at expected level, while 59% hit the higher threshold. Writing is slightly lower but still strong, with 93% at expected and 32% at greater depth. The school does not publish progress scores for reading, writing or maths, so it’s not possible to say how much value it adds relative to pupils’ starting points, but the raw attainment figures are clearly well above the national picture. The school has no sixth form, as it is a primary, and no nursery provision, so its focus is squarely on the 4–11 age range.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 327 applications for 60 places, with 163 of those as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 5.45. It serves a diverse community, with 42.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities include a Forest School, library, sensory room, music rooms, playing fields and even a chapel, despite the school’s Muslim religious character. SEND provision covers a wide range of needs, including dyslexia, speech and language difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder and physical disability. Sports on offer include football, cricket, dance, swimming and athletics, while clubs include book, science and art clubs. This is a school that suits families who prioritise strong academic outcomes and are comfortable with a faith-based environment, but they will need to apply early given the intense competition for places.

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