Victoria Park Primary

About Victoria Park Primary

Victoria Park Primary is a state-funded, mixed primary school in Sandwell for children aged 3 to 11, and it is currently oversubscribed by a significant margin. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 80 applications for just 38 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.11. Of those, 36 were first-preference applications, and 36 first-preference offers were made, suggesting that nearly every family who put it as their top choice secured a place, but demand far outstrips supply overall. The school currently has 641 pupils against a capacity of 630, so it is running slightly over its official number. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 39.2%, which is well above the national average for primary schools (around 23%) and reflects the local demographic context of Sandwell. The school is non-denominational and has a nursery provision, meaning it takes children from age three. Headteacher Robert Reed leads a school that has clearly built a strong local reputation, given the level of demand.

Academically, Victoria Park Primary performs solidly above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 70% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Sandwell LA average of 60%. This places the school 19th out of 83 primary schools in the borough, putting it in the top quarter locally. At the higher standard, 8% of pupils achieved the top scores across all three subjects. In individual subjects, reading saw 82% at expected and 29% at the higher level, while maths had 76% at expected and 23% at higher. Writing was slightly lower, with 78% at expected and just 9% at the higher level. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2023, rated it Good overall, with Good in all five categories including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is a downgrade from its previous Outstanding rating in 2011, but the school remains a strong performer in the local context.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sensory room, ICT suite, sports hall, playing fields, library, music rooms, art studios and even a chapel. Sports provision covers athletics, dance, netball, gymnastics, football, cricket and rounders, while clubs include gardening, chess, eco club, drama and science club. For children with additional needs, the school has identified SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. Given its oversubscription, families should be prepared to apply early and likely need to live within the catchment area to secure a place. This school will suit families who want a well-regarded, non-faith primary with strong academic outcomes relative to the local area, good facilities, and a clear focus on inclusion and support for a wide range of needs. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Shireland Technology Primary, 0.7 km away, which may be an alternative for those who miss out.

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