Birkenhead High School Academy is an all-through mainstream school in Prenton, Wirral, for girls aged 3 to 19. In January 2026, 202 of its 1,226 pupils (16.5%) were getting SEN support and 66 (5.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 3–19
- 1,226 pupils
- Girls only
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Wirral.
16.5% get SEN support
202 of 1,226 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
5.4% have an EHC plan
66 of 1,226 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health57
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia46
- Speech, language and communication43
- Autism12
- Hearing impairment11
- Physical disability8
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 all-through school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 3 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Girls only
- Pupils
- 1,226 (places for 1,293)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Elizabeth de Boorder (Principal)
- Part of
- Gdst Academy Trust
- Free school meals
- 19.9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Wirral
- School reference (URN)
- 135877
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 Wirral 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, April 2023
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in April 2023.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
86 Devonshire Place, Prenton, CH43 1TY
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Birkenhead Christ Church CofE Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.7 miles
- Kilgarth School Special school · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.8 miles
- The Priory Parish CofE Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 0.9 miles
- Horizons Independent School Independent · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.3 miles
Other mainstream schools
Questions about Birkenhead High School Academy
How many pupils at Birkenhead High School Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 202 of the 1,226 pupils (16.5%) were getting SEN support and 66 (5.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Birkenhead High School Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (57 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (46 pupils) and speech, language and communication needs (43 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Birkenhead High School Academy?
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 Birkenhead High School Academy?
Through Wirral 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 Birkenhead High School Academy?
You can ask for Birkenhead High School Academy 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 Birkenhead High School Academy 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 Birkenhead Christ Church CofE Primary School, about 0.7 miles away.
Where is Birkenhead High School Academy?
86 Devonshire Place, Prenton, CH43 1TY, in Wirral.
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.