Head Teacher

Benson Community School is growing. Currently, Benson has 520 children from Reception to Year 6, plus 30 fulltime and 73 part time Nursery children.

Benson has worked very closely with the Local Authority to offer additional places where needed. An additional 90 pupils joined the school during the last academic year, and we have welcomed 74 new children since September 2015.

We are proud of our inclusive nature, we have many different cultures and backgrounds present in our school- this makes us a true representation of our multi-cultural city. There are 42 different languages spoken here.

The school is committed to the promotion of justice and racial equality and aims to counter racism and all forms of discrimination.

"Pupils respond well to the school's emphasis on positive behaviour and conduct themselves well. Pupils value being a "Benson Bee", which represents their belonging to communities: Benson School, Birmingham, Britain. They say they are proud to be members of all three."

Ofsted 2015

The school has many great features including grassed playing areas, new buildings for the

current Y3 and Y4, new EYFS accommodation and play areas, gardening area, Community

Building, laptops and I Pads for use in classrooms, combined with the heart of the school housed

in a Grade 2 listed building. We also have 2 minibuses, which enable visits to local attractions to

enhance the learning experiences of the children.

The curriculum at Benson promotes independence and has been designed to foster a love of learning. Imaginative hooks are used to capture the children’s interests and to ensure they fully participate in their learning. Benson is working towards the Unicef –Rights Respecting Schools Award , with all classes looking at Children’s Rights. The Curriculum is further enhanced by our work with Enabling Enterprise and Open Futures. For further information please see our website

The school is very proud of its sporting traditions- we are currently the Champions of Birmingham for Athletics! This combined with music-our choir took part in Children In Need and Young Voices, drama and art provision definitely ensures that the whole child remains at the centre of our teaching. There are many clubs available for children within the school and lots of opportunities to play a musical instrument, represent the school, learn a craft or enhance our garden.

We have a strong Pastoral Team and SENCO who support across the school. A new Pastoral room –The Hive, has been provided this year to further facilitate support for children and families. This is further enhanced by Health Mentors, Family Support Worker and strong links to key agencies such as Barnados, School Nurses, City of Birmingham School, Speech and Language Therapists and Social Workers.

The school actively encourages a partnership between home and school, for some children Benson provides the stability in their lives.

The Family Support Worker and the Pastoral Team work alongside parents and carers to support them. Parents are invited into school regularly for workshops, assemblies and open days. Regular Parents Evenings and drop-ins enable the parents to discuss the progress of their child/children.

Benson School is part of the Greet TSA, and the Soho Cluster of Schools. The cluster consists of 5 local schools. The schools work closely together for staff and school development. The NQTs receive a bespoke training package through The Greet TSA, and the Soho Cluster provides opportunities for key networks of staff from within the schools to develop policy and practice. During the current year these have included a Headteachers’ Strategic Group, Assessment Focus Group, Writing and Maths Moderation, Curriculum Group, DSL and Learning Mentors Networks and PSHE working parties.

The school is a member of the Birmingham Education Partnership, taking part in Peer to Peer Reviews and supporting other schools where appropriate.

“The behaviour of the pupils is good. Attitudes to learning are positive and children want to do well. Their behaviour during lessons is good and children work well collaboratively. As a result good learning takes place.”

Ofsted 2015