Measuring the distances…
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Thinking of living at B34 7DB? Who your neighbours would be, how far the schools, station, shops, GP and parks are from the postcode itself, which schools are near and how they do, what there is to do at the weekend, and a day in the life here.
Most daily things are within reach on foot; the station is further.
Answer a few questions in Where could I live? and this will use your own priorities. Until then, try a perspective.
Working out the fit…
here typical · scale 0–50%
5 crimes recorded on Old Croft Lane in the last 12 months. The street →
here typical · scale 0–50%
here England and Wales · scale 0–100%
here England and Wales · scale 0–50%
| School | Stage | Distance | Latest results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brownmead Primary Academy | Primary | 400 m | 74% met the expected standard |
| Timberley Academy | Primary | 400 m | 60% met the expected standard |
| Hillstone Primary School | Primary | 800 m | 66% met the expected standard |
| Guardian Angels Catholic Primary School | Primary | 900 m | 41% met the expected standard |
| St Mary and St Margaret's Church of England Aided Primary School | Primary | 1.0 km | 73% met the expected standard |
| Tile Cross Academy | Secondary | 1.5 km | Attainment 8: 35.6 · 5.7% of GCSEs at 8–9 |
| Park Hall Academy | Secondary | 1.9 km | Attainment 8: 45.6 · 7.3% of GCSEs at 8–9 |
| Smith's Wood Academy | Secondary | 2.1 km | Attainment 8: 32.2 · 4.3% of GCSEs at 8–9 |
| John Henry Newman Catholic College | Secondary | 2.3 km | Attainment 8: 43.6 · 8.7% of GCSEs at 8–9 |
| Tudor Grange Academy Kingshurst | Secondary | 2.3 km | Attainment 8: 31.9 · 2.3% of GCSEs at 8–9 |
| Silver Birch School | Independent | 450 m | 0% of GCSEs at 8–9 |
| Riverside Education | Independent | 2.8 km | 0% of GCSEs at 8–9 |
| Sport | Nearest | Distance | Places |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennis | Castle Bromwich Playing Fields | 1.2 km | 19 |
| Bowls | Bradford Arms Crown Green Bowling Club | 730 m | 16 |
| Swimming | Smiths Wood Academy | 2.2 km | 5 |
| Cricket | SMCC | 3.7 km | 4 |
| Multi-sport | MUGA | 2.4 km | 3 |
| Football | Castle Vale Stadium | 2.2 km | 2 |
| Golf | Pype Hayes Golf Course And Gym | 4.2 km | 2 |
| Snooker | Garretts Green Sports Bar | 2.4 km | 1 |
| Athletics | North Solihull Sports Centre | 2.6 km | 1 |
| Climbing | Scallywags | 3.2 km | 1 |
| Boxing | The Home of the Wayne Elcocks Amateur Bxing Club | 3.3 km | 1 |
| Rugby union | Old Saltleians RFC | 3.6 km | 1 |
| Squash | Chelmsley Wood Onward Club | 4.2 km | 1 |
| Obstacle course | Air Ninja | 4.5 km | 1 |
Named clubs, pitches and centres mapped in OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL) and facilities registered with Sport England Active Places (Contains Data © Sport England, CC BY 4.0). Neither list is complete, so a club not shown may still exist.
The nearest station is Lea Hall, a short drive or bike ride (1.8 km), with 443k journeys a year; its busiest route is to Birmingham New Street.
The nearest bus stop is Shard End Shops, 150 m away, with a bus about every 10 minutes on weekdays (route 95); 31 departures an hour from the 6 stops within a 5-minute walk.
The nearest primary school is Brownmead Primary Academy, a few minutes' walk (400 m); 74% met the expected standard.
The closest top-rated primary is Lift Lea Forest (1.5 km).
The nearest secondary is Tile Cross Academy, 1.5 km away; Attainment 8: 35.6 · 5.7% of GCSEs at 8–9.
Top-rated secondaries within reach: Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Birmingham East (3.9 km) and Eden Girls' Leadership Academy, Birmingham (4.1 km).
Grammar schools are within reach: King Edward VI Aston School (6.7 km) and Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls (7.1 km).
It's a family area: 22% of residents are under 15.
The nearest supermarket is Co-Operative Supermarket, 100 m away; Skermer Fruits (150 m) for top-ups.
The nearest GP surgery is The Harlequin Surgery (100 m), with Shard End Pharmacy the closest pharmacy (100 m).
For a haircut, Happy Tan is 650 m away.
The nearest full A&E is City Health Campus, 9.9 km away, rated requires improvement by the CQC.
At its trust, 57% of major A&E patients were seen within 4 hours in September 2026 (the NHS standard is 95%), and 60% of people waiting for planned treatment had waited under 18 weeks (typical wait 15 weeks).
It's quiet in the evenings: only 9 restaurants, cafés and pubs in the neighbourhood itself.
Slice & Fry is the closest café or restaurant (150 m), and Shard End Social Club the nearest pub (550 m).
Crime is around the national middle: about 120 per 1,000 residents a year.
It's a mix of homes: 22% flats and 7% detached houses.
The typical home here was built in 1945-1954.
The nearest park is Kingfisher Country Park, 750 m away; for exercise, B-Active Health and Fitness Centre (1.7 km).
Air quality is around the national middle (nitrogen dioxide 13.8 µg/m³).
For holidays, Birmingham is 5.5 km away.
32 places on this map are within about a 10-minute walk.
Walking times are estimates from straight-line distance. Food businesses from the FSA food hygiene register; schools from the DfE register; nurseries from Ofsted's childcare register; care homes from the Care Quality Commission; pools, sports halls, tennis and golf from Sport England Active Places (contains data © Sport England); everything else © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Map © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.
More for moving: Moving for a reason · Where could I live? · Places like Buckland End · Compare a shortlist
| Blackwater Academy | Independent | 2.8 km | – |
|---|
Every primary near B34 7DB, ranked → · Every secondary → Ranked on results, with Ofsted and SEN; each school's page says how hard it is to get in.
Most households own their home, 12% rent privately.
Written from the figures on this page: Census 2021, DfT journey times (2019), NaPTAN/ORR, Ofsted, CQC, FSA, police.uk and planning registers. Figures describe the neighbourhood around the street.