Brays School, Birmingham
Brays School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Birmingham, part of Forward Education Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Brays School in detail
Brays School in its own words
In its own words: "Our site in Sheldon educates children with physical needs, severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties, specific communication and learning needs, visual impairment and hearing impairment. Those with a combination of complex medical conditions and sensory level autism may also attend this site."
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am Kari, the Headteacher of Brays School, and I feel privileged to lead this exceptional learning community. At Brays School, we are committed to providing an inclusive, nurturing, and holistic environment for all our students. Our dedicated team of staff and parents work collaboratively to ensure that every child receives the highest quality education and support."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Brays School are Trident Alternative Provision Ltd (1.2 miles, Good); Everything Education School (1.4 miles); Hallmoor School (1.6 miles, Good); and Kitts Green Academy (1.6 miles, Inadequate).
Trident Alternative Provision LtdEverything Education SchoolHallmoor SchoolKitts Green Academy
The trust
Brays School is one of 6 schools run by Forward Education Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
56 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Brays School (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
40.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 34.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (61%), White British (14%) and Mixed (13%).
Almost every pupil at Brays School has an education, health and care plan (93 of 93 in 2026). The most common need among them is a profound and multiple learning difficulty.
Brays School has a SEN unit for visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 110 places, 93 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Acocks Green Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brays Road (adjacent), 240 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Brays School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from February 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Brays School creates a nurturing environment where pupils with complex needs genuinely flourish. Staff are experts in understanding and supporting individual needs, allowing pupils to develop their independence, communication and confidence. The school offers rich creative experiences and extensive enrichment opportunities that help pupils achieve highly and enjoy coming to school.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious curriculum exceptionally well-tailored to pupils' complex needs, with creative arts as a particular strength
- Expert support for pupils' communication needs throughout the school day, building confidence and independence
- Strong culture of reading with high-quality, diverse and accessible texts adapted for individual needs
- Exceptional personal development programme including residential trips, outdoor learning and leadership opportunities
- Highly positive relationships rooted in care, dignity and respect with staff who skillfully understand each pupil's needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Drama, music, pop-up libraries, author visits, lunchtime clubs, theatre visits, residential trips, outdoor learning, BraysFest (music, dancing and performance), looking after school chickens, House of Lords environmental campaign visits
Brays School is a specialist provider for pupils with complex learning, physical and medical needs that has maintained its outstanding standards. Pupils flourish in a warm, inclusive environment where they feel safe, welcomed and celebrated.
At a Glance
40.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Vision, Hearing, Physical +2
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
56 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Brays School
Brays School’s Hayley Hanson, 2026 Silver Winner
18 Jun 2026
Newsletter: Summer 1, 2026
1 Jun 2026
Newsletter: Spring 2, 2026
27 Mar 2026
Newsletter: Spring 1, 2026
24 Feb 2026
Celebrating Gold Reading Award Success
21 Jan 2026
Newsletter: Autumn 2, 2025
19 Dec 2025
From Brays School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Brays School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Brays School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Brays School is in Birmingham; for families living there:
- How to apply: Travel passes for 5 to 16 year olds
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 38
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 38 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 7 serious and 30 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
8 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Birmingham is 41 (the median across 517 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
85%
Available places
93 pupils
110 places
17 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Birmingham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Birmingham
Across Birmingham council
Places available
14,956
Applications
14,483
Got 1st preference
75.7%
Got preferred school
97.4%
All secondary applications across Birmingham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
93
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Brays School has a SEN unit for visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 110 places, 93 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
93
Total Pupils
55
Boys
38
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
7.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£42,229
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
21.5%
Overall absence
74.7%
Persistent absence
87
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Brays School
What are SATs results like at Brays School?
Of the pupils at Brays School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Brays School's Ofsted rating?
Brays School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Brays School?
No fixed boundary. When Brays School is oversubscribed, Birmingham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Brays School?
Brays School has around 93 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Brays School have specialist SEN provision?
Brays School has a SEN unit for visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 110 places, 93 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Brays School?
21.5% of sessions were missed at Brays School in 2024/25. 74.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Brays School?
Apply through Birmingham's coordinated admissions process, naming Brays School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Brays School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 38 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 7 serious and 30 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 8 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Birmingham is 41 (the median across 517 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Brays School?
Brays School is at Brays Road, Sheldon, Birmingham, West Midlands, B26 1NS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)