Selly Oak Trust School

Selly Oak Trust School continues to perform well, maintaining its good status since its last inspection. The school fosters a positive environment where pupils feel happy and safe, benefiting from strong relationships with staff and peers. Noteworthy strengths include high-quality extracurricular activities and a well-structured curriculum that prepares students for future educational and employment opportunities. Despite these strengths, challenges exist in areas such as attendance and the teaching of modern foreign languages, which require attention to ensure all pupils thrive academically.

Strengths

• Pupils feel included and safe within the school community.
• Strong relationships exist between staff and students.
• Exceptional quality of extracurricular opportunities.
• Well-designed curriculum that aids pupils' knowledge retention.
• High aspirations for all Year 11 pupils leading to further education.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils do not attend regularly, leading to gaps in knowledge.
• MFL provision is less developed compared to other subjects.
• Inconsistent use of effective teaching resources and academic language.

In 2024–25 pupils at Selly Oak Trust School attended 86.9% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 34.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 3.3% of pupils at Selly Oak Trust School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Selly Oak Trust School had 8.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2018–19, 11.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 16.3%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Selly Oak Trust School had 400 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Selly Oak Trust School received £23,774 and spent £24,339 for each of its 401 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £71,000 (-£176 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

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What is Selly Oak Trust School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Selly Oak Trust School is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

When was Selly Oak Trust School last inspected by Ofsted?

Selly Oak Trust School was last inspected in January 2023.

How many pupils does Selly Oak Trust School have?

Selly Oak Trust School has 400 pupils on roll.

What age range does Selly Oak Trust School cover?

Selly Oak Trust School for pupils aged 11 to 19.

Where is Selly Oak Trust School?

Selly Oak Trust School is at Oak Tree Lane, Selly Oak, Birmingham, West Midlands, B29 6HZ.