St John Wall Catholic School is a mainstream secondary school in Birmingham for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 68 of its 591 pupils (11.5%) were getting SEN support and 9 (1.5%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 591 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Birmingham.
11.5% get SEN support
68 of 591 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
1.5% have an EHC plan
9 of 591 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Moderate learning difficulty26
- Social, emotional and mental health19
- Speech, language and communication12
- Autism11
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Voluntary aided school
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 591 (places for 600)
- Headteacher
- Mr Stewart Holder (Executive Headteacher)
- Faith
- Roman Catholic
- Free school meals
- 65.1% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Birmingham
- School reference (URN)
- 103534
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Birmingham council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, June 2023
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in June 2023.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Oxhill Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, B21 8HH
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Rookery School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.6 miles
- Hamilton School Special school · Ages 4–14 0.7 miles
- Oakbridge School Independent · Ages 7–17 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.0 mile
- Hamstead Hall Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.0 mile
Other mainstream schools
- St Augustine's Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 20.8%, EHC plans 1.8% 0.3 miles
- St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 18.8%, EHC plans 2.4% 0.5 miles
- Grestone Academy Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 12.3%, EHC plans 2.2% 0.7 miles
All mainstream schools in Birmingham SEND schools in Birmingham
Questions about St John Wall Catholic School
How many pupils at St John Wall Catholic School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 68 of the 591 pupils (11.5%) were getting SEN support and 9 (1.5%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at St John Wall Catholic School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are moderate learning difficulties (26 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (19 pupils) and speech, language and communication needs (12 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at St John Wall Catholic School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at St John Wall Catholic School?
Through Birmingham council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to St John Wall Catholic School?
You can ask for St John Wall Catholic School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does St John Wall Catholic School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Rookery School, about 0.6 miles away.
Where is St John Wall Catholic School?
Oxhill Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, B21 8HH, in Birmingham.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.