The Pines Special School, Birmingham

Good
Special
Foundation special school
Mixed
Ages 316

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Wayne Tulloch
Pupils:287 / 270 capacity
LA:Birmingham
Phone:01214646136
Address:Marsh Hill, Birmingham, B23 7EY
Trust:Birmingham Special Schools Trust
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 January 1900

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 2 years ago
-

Overall

Inspected 25 February 2025View full report
URN:103622
UKPRN:10080724
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Birmingham Erdington
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The Pines is an outstandingly effective school where pupils with autism and communication difficulties achieve exceptional progress. Teachers overcome the challenge of cramped classrooms through superb organisation and create a warm, supportive environment where all pupils are valued and enjoy learning. Parents are very positive about the school, seeing how pupils mature and develop both academically and personally.

Key Strengths

  • Pupils make outstanding progress, particularly in literacy and communication skills
  • Teaching is outstanding despite cramped classrooms, with excellent organisation of adults and activities
  • Pupils' behaviour and attitudes are outstanding, with strong enthusiasm for learning and school
  • Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptionally well fostered
  • Leadership creates a warm, positive learning climate where all pupils are valued

Areas for Improvement

  • Ensure new planned accommodation meets the wide range of pupil needs to enhance teaching and learning
  • Increase the amount of outstanding teaching by providing more challenging work for more-able pupils

Safeguarding

The school's work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.

Extracurricular Activities

Performing arts, opportunities to learn in mainstream schools, residential experiences, yoga, cycling, road-safety skills

The Pines Special School is an outstanding school where pupils with autistic spectrum disorders flourish. The headteacher and senior leaders have maintained first-class teaching, achievement and behaviour despite uncertainty about the school's future.

At a Glance

55.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

SLCN - Speech, language and Communication, ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

35 responses
Would recommend94%
Child is happy89%
Well taught91%
Good progress77%
Feels safe89%
Well behaved80%
Bullying dealt with3%
Kept informed94%
Handles concerns66%
Wider development83%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-10ppMaths-5ppWriting

Reading has declined from 15% to 5%. Maths has declined from 15% to 10%. Writing has remained stable at around 0%.

Class Sizes

0.0

Avg class size

0

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Social & online

Getting There

Train Stations

Gravelly Hill Rail Station
1.2km · 20 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

106%

Over capacity

287 pupils

270 capacity

17 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Birmingham

Low pressure
New homes approved:19,703
Projected new pupils:3,547

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Birmingham

Admissions Demand - Birmingham

Low demand0.99x oversubscription

Places available

15,089

Applications

14,943

Got 1st preference

73.6%

Got preferred school

96.8%

Secondary admissions across Birmingham (2025/26)

Inspection History(7)

25 February 2025
9 July 2019
Leadership & ManagementGood
29 January 2019

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

8.61379%

Overall absence

22.67658%

Persistent absence

269

Enrolments

Authorised6.78141%
Unauthorised1.83238%
Persistent (10%+)22.67658%
Severe (50%+)2.97398%

Absence trend

5.32126%
18/19
7.42206%
20/21
9.28159%
21/22
9.74776%
22/23
10.14457%
23/24
8.61379%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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