Northwood Primary School, Cowes
Northwood Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Cowes. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 20th-highest of the 36 schools in Isle of Wight with published results, and 12,428th of 14,452 across England. It was 89% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Isle of Wight (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Northwood Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils at Northwood Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 61% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 67% and 64% in Isle of Wight and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 69% in reading and 34% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Northwood Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 27 families put Northwood Primary School as their first choice and 62 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Northwood Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Northwood Primary School are Lanesend Primary School (1.2 miles, Requires improvement, 58% reading, 52% maths); Gurnard Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 78% reading, 72% maths); Queensgate Foundation Primary (1.7 miles, Good, 77% reading, 80% maths); and Hunnyhill Ormiston Academy (2.1 miles).
Northwood Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Lanesend Primary SchoolGurnard Primary SchoolQueensgate Foundation PrimaryHunnyhill Ormiston Academy
Who goes there
16.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 46 pupils (25.8%) received SEN support and 10 (5.6%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Wootton (Isle of Wight Steam Railway), about 3.4 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Oxford Street (e-bound), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 9 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and drug offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Isle of Wight (125).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Northwood Primary School issued 33 suspensions, 17.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
16.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 69% to 64% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 34% to 61% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 59% to 64% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.4
Avg class size
23.3
Infant (KS1)
27.0
KS2
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
Keep up with Northwood Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Northwood Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Northwood Primary School is in Isle of Wight; for families living there:
Apply to Isle of Wight for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Isle of Wight is 10 (the median across 51 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 Northwood Primary School
Will you get a place at Northwood Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Northwood Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Northwood Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Northwood Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Isle of Wight, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Northwood Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Isle of Wight 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
89%
Available places
187 pupils
210 places
23 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Cowes
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cowes
Across Isle of Wight council
Places available
1,328
Applications
931
Got 1st preference
94.5%
Got preferred school
98.8%
All primary applications across Isle of Wight council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(5)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
46
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
31.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
178
Total Pupils
84
Boys
94
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
17.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,209
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,399
Per pupil
£1147k
Total funding
£45k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.5%
Overall absence
15.1%
Persistent absence
186
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
Northwood Primary School
Questions parents ask about Northwood Primary School
What are SATs results like at Northwood Primary School?
Of the pupils at Northwood Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 64% reached the expected standard in reading and 61% did so in maths.
What is Northwood Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Northwood Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024.
What is the catchment area for Northwood Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Northwood Primary School is oversubscribed, Isle of Wight allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Northwood Primary School?
Northwood Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 89% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Northwood Primary School?
Classes at Northwood Primary School average 25.4 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 Northwood Primary School?
Northwood Primary School has around 178 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Northwood Primary School?
5.5% of sessions were missed at Northwood Primary School in 2024/25. 15.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Northwood Primary School?
Apply through Isle of Wight's coordinated admissions process, naming Northwood Primary 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.
How many road collisions happen near Northwood Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Isle of Wight is 10 (the median across 51 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Northwood Primary School?
Northwood Primary School is at Wyatts Lane, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 8PU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)