Southwood School, Milton Keynes
Southwood School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Milton Keynes. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 29th-highest of the 60 schools in Milton Keynes with published results, and 6,288th of 14,452 across England. It was 70% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- Capacity
- 70% full
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
Southwood School in detail
Results
In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at Southwood School reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 78% in Milton Keynes and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 76% in reading and 70% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Southwood School
Across Milton Keynes, 95% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Milton Keynes lodged 92 appeals against primary school offers; 80 reached a hearing and 24 succeeded (30% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Southwood School are Downs Barn School (0.3 miles, Good); Germander Park School (0.4 miles, Good); St Monica's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 82% reading, 80% maths); and Brooksward School (0.7 miles, 80% reading, 82% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Southwood School.
Downs Barn SchoolGermander Park SchoolSt Monica's Catholic Primary SchoolBrooksward School
Who goes there
51.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 50.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (31%), White British (24%) and Asian (21%).
In 2026, 21 pupils (12.4%) received SEN support and 21 (12.4%) 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.
Southwood School has a SEN unit for autism: 16 places, 16 pupils on roll.
Staffing
Southwood School had 14 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 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 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Conniburrow Boulevard (o/s 305), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 521 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Milton Keynes (156), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Southwood School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from June 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is a welcoming and inclusive school. The school's values, including 'respect, resilience, responsibility and reflection', underpin the positive ethos in the school. Leaders have high expectations for achievement and for the conduct of all pupils. Pupils are happy at school and enjoy learning. They say that teachers and other pupils help them if they do not understand something. In lessons, pupils work hard and are keen to do well.
Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils appreciate that adults seek their views about what they want to improve. Pupils know that there are many staff they can talk to if they are worried, including the 'learning and achievement base' mentors. Pupils understand the difference between bullying and falling out with their friends. They trust the adults in school to help them if bullying happens. It rarely does. Pupils feel and are safe.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Leaders have developed a broad curriculum that supports pupils to learn and achieve well. In most subjects, leaders have identified the important knowledge that pupils must learn and when they need to learn it. Teachers are trained well to teach these subjects. They present information to pupils clearly and allow pupils to practise their learning regularly. Teachers check routinely whether pupils have learned key knowledge. This means that they know when pupils have gaps in their learning and can address pupils' misunderstandings promptly. As a result, pupils learn well.
In a few subjects, leaders' curriculum planning does not identify precisely enough the sequence of knowledge that pupils need to learn. Where this occurs, teachers do not always provide work that enables pupils to build on what they already know and remember their learning securely.
From Ofsted's May 2023 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2013 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
51.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 75% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 70% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 64% to 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
17.0
Avg class size
10
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Southwood School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Southwood School.
- Genesis Childcare400m away · Not yet graded
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to Southwood School, with their latest published grades:
- Woodlands Day Nursery (MK) - Day nursery, 0.4 milesOfsted, 17 January 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Brooksward School, Nursery and Pre-School - Day nursery, 0.7 miles
- Aristotots Nursery School - Day nursery, 0.7 milesOfsted, 21 March 2023: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
- Webber Independent School Nursery - Day nursery, 0.7 milesOfsted, 7 June 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Bradwell Common Pre School - Pre-school, 0.9 milesOfsted, 27 April 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Southwood School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Southwood 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
- 20
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 19 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
4 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 are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
70%
Available places
188 pupils
268 places
80 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
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.
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the North West Primary planning area (Milton Keynes) will have 1,609 spare primary places in 2027/28.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
21
EHC Plans
24.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Southwood School has a SEN unit for autism: 16 places, 16 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
170
Total Pupils
104
Boys
66
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
12.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,714
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,263
Per pupil
£1404k
Total funding
£120k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.2%
Overall absence
7.3%
Persistent absence
218
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
Southwood School
Questions parents ask about Southwood School
What are SATs results like at Southwood School?
Of the pupils at Southwood School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% reached the expected standard in reading and 83% did so in maths.
What is Southwood School's Ofsted rating?
Southwood School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2023, was ungraded. At its last graded inspection, in June 2013, it was rated Good.
Is it hard to get a place at Southwood School?
Southwood School was not full in 2025: it ran at 70% of its 268 places.
How big are the classes at Southwood School?
Classes at Southwood School average 17 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Southwood School?
Southwood School has around 170 pupils on roll. 51% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Southwood School have specialist SEN provision?
Southwood School has a SEN unit for autism: 16 places, 16 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Southwood School?
4.2% of sessions were missed at Southwood School in 2024/25. 7.3% of pupils were persistently absent.
Does Southwood School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Southwood School: Genesis Childcare (400m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Southwood School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 19 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 4 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 Southwood School?
Southwood School is at Bryony Place, Conniburrow Boulevard, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK14 7AR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)