The Sherwood School, Mitcham
The Sherwood School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Mitcham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 11th-highest of the 15 schools in Mitcham with published results, and 6,288th of 14,452 across England. It was 68% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
- 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 Merton (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Sherwood School in detail
The Sherwood School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Choosing the right primary school for your children is one of the most important decisions you will make as a parent and we welcome your interest in our school. We aim to promote the wellbeing and safety of children and to ensure they are offered the best opportunities that we can provide."
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026, an open day on Wednesday 2 December 2026, an open day on Monday 14 December 2026 and an open day on Wednesday 16 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Merton
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils at The Sherwood School reached the expected standard in reading and 77% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 85% and 83% in Merton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 63% in reading and 61% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at The Sherwood School
For September 2026 entry, 18 families put The Sherwood School as their first choice and 57 named it as one of their preferences, for 21 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 The Sherwood School are Harris Primary Academy Merton (0.3 miles, Outstanding, 83% reading, 85% maths); William Morris Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 77% reading, 83% maths); Lonesome Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 80% reading, 78% maths); and Gonville Academy (0.9 miles, Good, 88% reading, 88% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than The Sherwood School.
Harris Primary Academy MertonWilliam Morris Primary SchoolLonesome Primary SchoolGonville Academy
Who goes there
35% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 45.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (29%), Black (19%) and Mixed (17%).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Beddington Lane Tram Stop, about 1000 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sherwood Park Road (CR4) (->s), 290 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Sherwood School issued 2 suspensions, 0.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Sherwood School are Harris Academy Merton (0.4 miles), The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy (0.7 miles), St Mark's Church of England Academy (0.8 miles) and Woodmansterne School (1 mile).
Harris Academy MertonThe Archbishop Lanfranc AcademySt Mark's Church of England AcademyWoodmansterne School
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); 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 November 2017, 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.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Sherwood School creates a happy, safe environment where children are encouraged to have a voice and contribute positively. Teachers use high expectations to help pupils achieve well, and the school offers a rich curriculum with enrichment activities including music lessons for all pupils. Every child has trusted adults to talk to, and behaviour is managed consistently and fairly.
Key Strengths
- Strong reading culture with well-trained phonics teaching and carefully matched books that help pupils become confident independent readers
- Ambitious, broad curriculum across all subjects with emphasis on building vocabulary and subject-specific knowledge
- Excellent behaviour and positive attitudes to learning, with low-level disruption in classrooms
- Systematic behaviour approach embedded across the school with pupil voice valued through leadership teams and school council
- Enrichment opportunities including musical instrument lessons for every pupil and Police Cadet safety lessons
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment routines in a few subjects do not accurately identify what pupils know and remember, limiting teachers' ability to address knowledge gaps and misconceptions
- Some checks on pupils' knowledge lack clear focus on assessing specific subject content that pupils are expected to master
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - staff are well-trained to spot signs of harm, follow clear procedures, work with external agencies, and complete all statutory pre-employment checks.
Extracurricular Activities
Music lessons for every pupil, Police Cadet lessons, school council, pupil ambassador programs, pupil leadership teams, breakfast club, after-school club, wide range of clubs and activities
The Sherwood School is a good primary school where pupils are happy, safe, and achieve well overall. Leaders and staff have high expectations and foster a supportive, inclusive school culture.
At a Glance
35.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 63% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 61% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 65% to 74% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
22.7
Avg class size
26.7
Infant (KS1)
21.3
KS2
11
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Sherwood School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Sherwood School.
- fabkids breakfast and afterschool clubAt the school · Not yet graded
- Bilan After School ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
- First Class LearningAt the school · Not yet graded
- Head4goal660m away · Not yet graded
- Stars Club740m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
The Sherwood School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Merton. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Wednesday 2 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Thursday 22 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Sherwood School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Sherwood School is in Merton; for families living there:
Apply to Merton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 29
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 29 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 22 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
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 Merton is 48.5 (the median across 74 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 The Sherwood School
Will you get a place at The Sherwood School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Sherwood School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Sherwood School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Sherwood School.
- Merton publishes last distance offered figures, but none for The Sherwood School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Sherwood School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Merton 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
68%
Available places
286 pupils
420 places
134 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Mitcham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Mitcham
Across Merton council
Places available
2,114
Applications
2,015
Got 1st preference
86.4%
Got preferred school
97.8%
All primary applications across Merton council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
43
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
19.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
263
Total Pupils
135
Boys
128
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
18.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£60,738
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,765
Per pupil
£2212k
Total funding
£141k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
18.9%
Persistent absence
280
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 The Sherwood School
What are SATs results like at The Sherwood School?
Of the pupils at The Sherwood School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 81% reached the expected standard in reading and 77% did so in maths.
What is The Sherwood School's Ofsted rating?
The Sherwood School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Sherwood School?
No fixed boundary. When The Sherwood School is oversubscribed, Merton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Sherwood School?
The Sherwood School was not full in 2025: it ran at 68% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at The Sherwood School?
Classes at The Sherwood School average 22.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Sherwood School?
The Sherwood School has around 263 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Sherwood School?
6.1% of sessions were missed at The Sherwood School in 2024/25. 18.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Sherwood School?
Apply through Merton's coordinated admissions process, naming The Sherwood 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 The Sherwood School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs at the school: fabkids breakfast and afterschool club (registered, not yet graded), Bilan After School Club (registered, not yet graded) and First Class Learning (registered, not yet graded). There are 2 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are The Sherwood School's term dates?
The Sherwood School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Merton. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Wednesday 2 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Thursday 22 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near The Sherwood School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 29 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 22 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 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 Merton is 48.5 (the median across 74 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Sherwood School?
The Sherwood School is at Abbotts Road, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 1JP.
Sources: Merton term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)