Arrow Valley First School

  • Primary
  • Academy
  • Ages 3 to 9
Ofsted: Good

Colts Lane, Redditch, B98 0LHOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Arrow Valley First School is a primary school in Redditch for ages 3 to 9. It is one of the 273 schools in Worcestershire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in February 2024.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 20 February 2024, report published 17 April 2024

Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 February 2024

Pupils and the adults employed here all enjoy being part of Arrow Valley. One member of staff, summing up the view of other colleagues, said, 'I love coming to work here.' The 'Valley Values' are at the heart of the school's work. Pupils fully embrace them, to be 'safe, kind, hard-working, resilient, respectful, and honest'. The school wants all pupils to do as well as they can. It has successfully prioritised raising standards in reading, writing and mathematics, including for disadvantaged pupils. There are high standards expected of behaviour, to which pupils adhere. They are friendly to each other and polite to visitors. Some pupils struggle in managing their behaviour and emotions. The school has put in place measures to ensure that these pupils can be included successfully in the life of the school. Attendance is improving strongly. All staff are vigilant to ensure that pupils feel safe. Their tagline is, 'It could happen here.' Pupils enjoy a wide range of activities to bring their learning to life. These include watching a four-string quartet perform, going on a field trip to the local country park and learning to swim. They are articulate and can use a wide subject-specific vocabulary when talking about their experiences.

What the school should improve

  • Leadership and monitoring are still new in some foundation subjects. As a result, pupils' written work in these subjects does not reflect what they have learned and can recall verbally. Leaders should ensure that expectations of writing are as consistently high in all subjects as they are in English.
  • There is not a shared understanding among leaders and governors of where leadership of EAL lies. As a result, staff are not as well informed about pupils' backgrounds and needs as they are for pupils with SEND. Leaders should ensure that leadership of EAL raises all staff knowledge and understanding of pupils' EAL needs.

Pupil numbers and mix

137 pupils on roll, with places for 234

Eligible for free school meals29.9%

29.9%, 3.4 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language19%

19%, 2.6 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support30.7%

30.7%, 15.9 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan2.2%

2.2%, 3.8 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Arrow Valley First School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Ipsley CofE Middle School0.3 milesOfsted: Good59% met the expected standard
Tenacres First School0.4 milesReport card: Needs attention to expected standardNot published
Moons Moat First School0.5 milesReport card: Needs attention to expected standardNot published
Matchborough First School Academy0.8 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Church Hill Middle School0.9 milesOfsted: Good60% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Academy sponsor led
Sector
Academy
Trust
CENTRAL REGION SCHOOLS TRUST
Age range
3 to 9
Gender
Mixed
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mrs Sarah Callanan
Address
Colts Lane, Redditch, B98 0LH
Local authority
Worcestershire
URN
148140

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.