The Dame Ellen Pinsent School, Birmingham
The Dame Ellen Pinsent School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Birmingham, part of Birmingham Special Schools Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Dame Ellen Pinsent School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Dame Ellen Pinsent School are Fox Hollies School (1 mile, Good); Uffculme School (1.2 miles, Good); Lindsworth School (1.5 miles, Requires improvement); and Red Boots School (National Institute of Conductive Education) (1.7 miles, Outstanding).
Fox Hollies SchoolUffculme SchoolLindsworth SchoolRed Boots School (National Institute of Conductive Education)
The trust
The Dame Ellen Pinsent School is one of 6 schools run by Birmingham Special Schools Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
59.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 32.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (35%), Asian (25%) and Black (20%).
Almost every pupil at The Dame Ellen Pinsent School has an education, health and care plan (158 of 158 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
The Dame Ellen Pinsent School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Kings Heath Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ardencote Road (after), 130 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Dame Ellen Pinsent School issued 1 suspension, 0.7 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: 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 December 2013, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Unkind behaviour is rare. Concerns are resolved quickly. Pupils display the school values, such as kindness, independence, respect, determination and patience. Pupils earn points and rewards for their house team when they display these values. They are excited to win the house trophy at the end of each week. Pupils behave well and show respect towards each other.
The varying and complex needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well understood by staff. The school work closely with a wide range of external agencies to put in the right provision for pupils quickly. As a result, the needs of pupils and their families are well understood and supported by the school.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school is ambitious for all pupils. Leaders and governors have a strong moral purpose. They are committed to supporting the needs of pupils with SEND in their school and across their local community.
The school has designed a curriculum focused on developing pupils' independence and confidence, including in the early years. It provides pupils with a breadth of wider experiences. This helps pupils to interact with the world around them.
From Ofsted's June 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its December 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
59.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SpLD, Other, Speech and language +2
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 0% to 10% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Dame Ellen Pinsent School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Dame Ellen Pinsent School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Dame Ellen Pinsent 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
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 21 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
11 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
105%
Over capacity
158 pupils
150 places
8 pupils over capacity
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
158
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Dame Ellen Pinsent School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
158
Total Pupils
111
Boys
47
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
17
Teachers
9.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,763
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.6%
Overall absence
22.1%
Persistent absence
145
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
The Dame Ellen Pinsent School
Questions parents ask about The Dame Ellen Pinsent School
What are SATs results like at The Dame Ellen Pinsent School?
Of the pupils at The Dame Ellen Pinsent School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 10% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is The Dame Ellen Pinsent School's Ofsted rating?
The Dame Ellen Pinsent School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Dame Ellen Pinsent School?
No fixed boundary. When The Dame Ellen Pinsent School is oversubscribed, Birmingham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Dame Ellen Pinsent School?
The Dame Ellen Pinsent School has around 158 pupils on roll. 60% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Dame Ellen Pinsent School have specialist SEN provision?
The Dame Ellen Pinsent School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at The Dame Ellen Pinsent School?
7.6% of sessions were missed at The Dame Ellen Pinsent School in 2024/25. 22.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Dame Ellen Pinsent School?
Apply through Birmingham's coordinated admissions process, naming The Dame Ellen Pinsent 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 The Dame Ellen Pinsent School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 21 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 11 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 The Dame Ellen Pinsent School?
The Dame Ellen Pinsent School is at Ardencote Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, West Midlands, B13 0RW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)