SchoolScoresJames Brindley School
Special academy · All-through, ages 2 to 19 · Mixed · Nursery class · Sixth form
Part of THINK DIFFERENTLY EDUCATION TRUST
Bell Barn Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2AF
0121 666 6409 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 17 January 2017.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 29 June 2022: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Birmingham. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.
Pupils, staff and SEND
This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round.
| Pupils | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 59.6% | 64.2%* | 51.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 83.3% | 99.6%* | 99.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 16.7% | 0.4%* | 0.5% |
| English as an additional language | 2.5% | 29.6%* | 14.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) | 31.1% | 13.8%* | 12.8% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) | 74.8% | 39.0%* | 35.3% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 32.5 | 7.2 | 12.3 |
| Pupils suspended at least once | 16.7% | 3.5% | 5.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.10% | 0.08% |
| Pupils per teacher | 1.4 | 6.9 | 6.6 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) | 0.8 | 2.7 | 2.3 |
| Teachers who left during the year | 18.4% | 19.6%* | 14.3%* |
Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby special schools
- Hopwood Hall School 0.7 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI
- New Perspectives School 0.9 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2024)
- Calthorpe Academy 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2017), confirmed 2023
- Red Boots School (National Institute of Conductive Education) 1.3 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 3 strong, 3 expected
- St Paul's School 1.4 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Requires improvement (2024)
- Oakbridge School 1.4 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 6 expected
- R.Y.A.N Education Academy 1.4 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2024)
- Uffculme School 1.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2024 · 0% grade 5+ English and maths
- Fox Hollies School 2.1 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 4 strong, 3 expected
- R.Y.A.N Education Academy Vocational Centre 2.4 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2024)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is James Brindley School's Ofsted rating?
James Brindley School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 17 January 2017. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 29 June 2022, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 139526.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.