Sparkbrook North

Summary

Sparkbrook North (E02001897) is part of Birmingham local authority (view on map). Sparkbrook North has an approximate population of 8,800 people, of which 27% are children 15 years old and under. It is classified as "urban: nearer to a major town or city".

Sparkbrook North neighbours Small Heath Park, Five Ways South & Calthorpe Park, Sparkbrook South, Balsall Heath East, Balsall Heath West & Kingswood Road, Digbeth, Bordesley, and Greet & Mid Sparkhill.

Headlines

  • 89% of children are living in low-income families, ranking it among the 10% most deprived regarding income deprivation among children in England – see more.
  • 61% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, placing it in the top 10% of all areas in England – see more.
  • 95% of pupils belong to a minority ethnic group, placing it in the top 10% of all areas in England – see more.
  • 68% of pupils have a first language known or believed to be other than English, placing it in the top 10% of all areas in England – see more.
Guidance and data sources

Local area pages are based on the middle-layer super output areas (MSOAs) distributed across the country. MSOAs comprise between 2,000 and 6,000 households and have a resident population of, generally, between 5,000 and 15,000 people. MSOAs fit within local authorities. For each area, descriptive statistics are compared with local authority and national averages. For more information about MSOAs, please visit the Office for National Statistics website.

The data displayed is sourced from:

Deprivation

Sparkbrook North is the 131st least deprived area in Birmingham (out of 132) with 89% of children living in low-income families, compared to 62% across Birmingham and 38% nationally.

89% of children are living in low-income families, ranking it among the 10% most deprived regarding income deprivation among children in England.

Data source

State-funded pupil characteristics

Information acquired from the school census.

Free school meals

In Sparkbrook North, 61% of state-funded pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared to 49% in Birmingham and 27% nationally.

61% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, placing it in the top 10% of all areas in England.

Contents

Percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals

Table showing the percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals

% in Sparkbrook North % in Birmingham % in England
Eligible for free school meals 61% 49% 27%
Not eligible for free school meals 39% 51% 73%

Data source

Special educational needs

In Sparkbrook North, 19% of pupils in state-funded settings have special educational needs (SEN), compared to 19% in Birmingham, and 19% nationally.

This includes the number of pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan and the number of pupils with SEN support.

Contents

Percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools

Table showing the percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools

% in Sparkbrook North % in Birmingham % in England
No special educational needs 81% 81% 81%
Receiving special educational needs support 15% 15% 14%
With an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) 4% 4% 5%

Data source

Ethnicity

In Sparkbrook North, 95% of pupils are from a minority ethnic background, compared to 72% in Birmingham, and 33% nationally.

Percentages may not sum to 100%, due to small values being suppressed.

95% of pupils belong to a minority ethnic group, placing it in the top 10% of all areas in England.

Contents

Percentage of pupils by major ethnic groups

Table

% in Sparkbrook North % in Birmingham % in England
White 4% 28% 67%
Asian 39% 39% 14%
Black 28% 14% 7%
Mixed 8% 10% 7%
Other 20% 7% 3%
Not known 2% 2% 2%

Data source

English as an additional language

The percentage of pupils in Sparkbrook North with English as an additional language is 68%, compared with 40% in Birmingham, and 22% nationally.

Numbers may not sum to 100%, due to a small number of pupils with an unclassified language.

68% of pupils have a first language known or believed to be other than English, placing it in the top 10% of all areas in England.

Contents

Percentage of pupils with English as an additional language

Table

% in Sparkbrook North % in Birmingham % in England
Known or believed to be other than English 68% 40% 22%
Known or believed to be English 31% 60% 78%

Data source

Provider information

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Registered childcare providers

Sparkbrook North has 19 registered childcare providers.

Type Number in Sparkbrook North
All childcare providers 19
Childminders 1
Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care 18

In Sparkbrook North, there have been 3 full inspections of childcare providers since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.

Under the renewed education inspection framework, childcare providers are evaluated on the following areas:

  • Achievement
  • Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines
  • Children's welfare and wellbeing
  • Curriculum and teaching
  • Inclusion
  • Leadership and governance

We use a 5-point scale to grade different areas of a provider’s work. The evaluation scale for each evaluation area, other than safeguarding, is:

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Achievement: 2 were graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 3).

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: 1 was graded 'strong standard', 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 3).

Children's welfare and well-being: 3 were graded 'expected standard' (of 3).

Curriculum and teaching: 2 were graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 3).

Inclusion: 2 were graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 3).

Leadership and governance: 2 were graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 3).

The tables below show the outcomes of inspections of childcare providers in Sparkbrook North. The tables are split by provider type, and show the number of inspections that have taken place for each area, and the outcomes of those inspections.

Contents

All childcare

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 3 0 0 2 1 0
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines 3 0 1 1 1 0
Children's welfare and well-being 3 0 0 3 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 3 0 0 2 1 0
Inclusion 3 0 0 2 1 0
Leadership and governance 3 0 0 2 1 0

Childminders

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines 0 0 0 0 0 0
Children's welfare and well-being 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0

Full day care

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement

Sessional day care

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement

Out-of-school day care

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement

Other childcare

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement

Data source

State-funded schools

Sparkbrook North has 8 state-funded schools.

Type Number in Sparkbrook North
All state-funded schools 8
Nursery schools 0
Primary and all-through schools 5
Secondary and all-through schools 2
Special schools 1
Registered alternative provision 0

In Sparkbrook North, there has been 1 full inspection of schools since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.

Under the renewed education inspection framework, schools are evaluated on the following areas:

  • Achievement
  • Attendance and behaviour
  • Curriculum and teaching
  • Early years (where applicable)
  • Inclusion
  • Leadership and governance
  • Personal development and wellbeing
  • Post 16 provision (where applicable)

The evaluation scale for each evaluation area, other than safeguarding, is:

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Achievement: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Attendance and behaviour: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Curriculum and teaching: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Early years: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Inclusion: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Leadership and governance: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Personal development and wellbeing: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Post-16 provision: There have been no inspections of Post-16 provision in Sparkbrook North so no outcomes are available for this area.

The tables below show the outcomes of inspections of state-funded schools in Sparkbrook North. The tables are split by provider type, and show the number of inspections that have taken place for each area, and the outcomes of those inspections.

Contents

All schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 1 0 0 1 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 1 0 0 1 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 1 0 0 1 0 0
Early years 1 0 0 1 0 0
Inclusion 1 0 0 1 0 0
Leadership and governance 1 0 0 1 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 1 0 0 1 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Nursery schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Primary schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 1 0 0 1 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 1 0 0 1 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 1 0 0 1 0 0
Early years 1 0 0 1 0 0
Inclusion 1 0 0 1 0 0
Leadership and governance 1 0 0 1 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 1 0 0 1 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Secondary schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Special schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Registered alternative provision

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Data sources: