Holmwood School, Milton Keynes
Holmwood School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 7 in Milton Keynes, part of Inspiring Futures Through Learning. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2024 did not change this grade. It was 94% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Milton Keynes (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Holmwood School in detail
Holmwood School in its own words
In its own words: "We are delighted to welcome you to Holmwood School and Nursery, a proud member of the Inspiring Futures through Learning Multi-Academy Trust. Our commitment is to provide the highest quality education for children aged 2-7 years, ensuring they feel safe, happy, and enthusiastic about learning."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Holmwood School
For September 2026 entry, 36 families put Holmwood School as their first choice and 102 named it as one of their preferences, for 37 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Holmwood School are Two Mile Ash School (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 86% reading, 95% maths); Ashbrook School (0.3 miles, Good); Loughton Manor First School (0.5 miles, Good); and Loughton School (0.8 miles, Good, 84% reading, 82% maths).
Two Mile Ash SchoolAshbrook SchoolLoughton Manor First SchoolLoughton School
The trust
Holmwood School is one of 22 schools run by Inspiring Futures Through Learning, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
15.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 26.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (33%), White British (27%) and Mixed (11%).
In 2026, 46 pupils (22.9%) received SEN support and 6 (3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Holmwood School had 11 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Milton Keynes Central Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Great Holm Medical Centre (opposite), 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Holmwood School issued 3 suspensions, 1.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Holmwood School are Denbigh School (0.8 miles), Watling Academy (1.1 miles), The Hazeley Academy (1.3 miles) and Oakhill Secure Training Centre (1.5 miles).
Denbigh SchoolWatling AcademyThe Hazeley AcademyOakhill Secure Training Centre
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from June 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2018 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
15.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
26.9
Avg class size
25.8
Infant (KS1)
7
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Holmwood School
From Holmwood School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Holmwood School
Before and after school care
Holmwood School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Milton Keynes
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Holmwood School.
- SS Ltd @ LoughtonAt the school · Not yet graded
- Kip McGrath Education Centre Milton Keynes Central890m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Holmwood School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Holmwood School is in Milton Keynes; for families living there:
- Milton Keynes's school travel policy: School Travel Support Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 13 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Milton Keynes is 8 (the median across 125 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Holmwood School
Will you get a place at Holmwood School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Holmwood School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Holmwood School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Holmwood School.
- Milton Keynes publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Holmwood School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Holmwood School for 2020 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Milton Keynes got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
94%
Near capacity
169 pupils
180 places
11 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Milton Keynes
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Milton Keynes
Across Milton Keynes council
Places available
4,130
Applications
3,155
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across Milton Keynes council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(2)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
46
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
25.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
201
Total Pupils
109
Boys
92
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
18.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,429
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,834
Per pupil
£1042k
Total funding
£56k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.5%
Overall absence
12.6%
Persistent absence
127
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Holmwood School
What is Holmwood School's Ofsted rating?
Holmwood School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Holmwood School?
No fixed boundary. When Holmwood School is oversubscribed, Milton Keynes allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Holmwood School?
Holmwood School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 180 places.
How big are the classes at Holmwood School?
Classes at Holmwood School average 26.9 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Holmwood School?
Holmwood School has around 201 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Holmwood School?
5.5% of sessions were missed at Holmwood School in 2024/25. 12.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Holmwood School?
Apply through Milton Keynes's coordinated admissions process, naming Holmwood School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Holmwood School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Holmwood School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: SS Ltd @ Loughton (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre.
How many road collisions happen near Holmwood School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 13 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Milton Keynes is 8 (the median across 125 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Holmwood School?
Holmwood School is at Kensington Drive, Great Holm, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK8 9AB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)