Forest Oak School, Birmingham
Forest Oak School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Birmingham. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Forest Oak School in detail
Forest Oak School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "As the Interim Executive Head of Forest oak school, I am pleased to welcome you to our incredible school. We have a strong focus on high aspirations and resilience across our school which caters for children aged 4-18 years with moderate learning difficulties (MLD)."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Forest Oak School are Merstone School (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding); The Heights Academy (0.7 miles); Castlewood School (1 mile, Requires improvement); and SILVER BIRCH SCHOOL (1.1 miles, Good).
Merstone SchoolThe Heights AcademyCastlewood SchoolSILVER BIRCH SCHOOL
Where pupils go next
Of the 13 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 15% to a further education college.
Who goes there
66% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 6.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (71%), Mixed (15%) and Asian (6%).
Almost every pupil at Forest Oak School has an education, health and care plan (215 of 215 in 2026). The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.
Forest Oak School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Water Orton Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Smiths Wood School (adjacent), 100 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Forest Oak School issued 15 suspensions, 7.8 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Forest Oak School excels at keeping pupils safe through effective systems and prompt action on any concerns. The school teaches pupils valuable skills for staying safe, including how to identify trusted adults, understand healthy relationships, and raise concerns about online activity. Staff are highly skilled at understanding each pupil's individual needs and use positive strategies to support their behaviour and emotional well-being.
Key Strengths
- Effective systems for identifying and acting on concerns about pupils' safety and well-being, with prompt and decisive action taken by leaders
- Well-designed personal, social, health and economic curriculum that teaches pupils about healthy relationships, consent, and how to seek help
- Strong early morning check-ins with all pupils to discuss how they are feeling and any concerns
- Skilled staff who understand pupils' vulnerabilities and use a range of strategies to support their social, emotional and sensory needs
- Robust processes in place to check on pupils' safety when absent from school
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff do not feel confident that their views are listened to by leaders, resulting in low morale
- Unclear protocols and agreements between Forest Oak School and the adjoining special school about which staff can access each provision and when
- Physical environment at breaktimes would benefit from further attention to support older pupils with sensory needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders having strengthened systems for identifying and reporting concerns, improved record-keeping, and secure knowledge of pupils' vulnerabilities.
Extracurricular Activities
Independent travel training for older pupils
Forest Oak School is a special school for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This urgent inspection found that safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders having recently strengthened various aspects of child protection and pupil safety.
At a Glance
66.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Forest Oak School
Non Uniform Day
5 May 2026
First Aid Beginners Adult Course
5 May 2026
Laura's Swim Academy
28 Apr 2026
Mental Health Workshops for families
28 Apr 2026
Children's Learning Disibilities Team Clinic
15 Apr 2026
Red Nose Day
6 Mar 2026
From Forest Oak School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Forest Oak School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Forest Oak School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Forest Oak School is in Solihull; for families living there:
Apply to Solihull for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 12 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Solihull is 12 (the median across 90 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
99%
Near capacity
215 pupils
216 places
1 spare place
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Birmingham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Birmingham
Across Solihull council
Places available
3,299
Applications
2,632
Got 1st preference
79.7%
Got preferred school
97.1%
All secondary applications across Solihull council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
215
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Forest Oak School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
215
Total Pupils
149
Boys
66
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
8.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,034
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
15.3%
Overall absence
44.8%
Persistent absence
174
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Forest Oak School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Forest Oak School
What are SATs results like at Forest Oak School?
Of the pupils at Forest Oak School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Forest Oak School's Ofsted rating?
Forest Oak School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Forest Oak School?
No fixed boundary. When Forest Oak School is oversubscribed, Solihull allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Forest Oak School?
Forest Oak School has around 215 pupils on roll. 66% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Forest Oak School have specialist SEN provision?
Forest Oak School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Forest Oak School?
15.3% of sessions were missed at Forest Oak School in 2024/25. 44.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Forest Oak School?
Apply through Solihull's coordinated admissions process, naming Forest Oak 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 Forest Oak School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 12 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Solihull is 12 (the median across 90 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Forest Oak School?
Forest Oak School is at Windward Way, Smith's Wood, Birmingham, West Midlands, B36 0UE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)