Woodchurch Road Academy, Birkenhead

Requires Improvement
Primary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~366m)Possible (~523m)Unlikely (~680m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Miss Alexandra Borrill
Pupils:171 / 497 capacity
LA:Wirral
Phone:01516523104
Address:99 Woodchurch Road, Oxton, Birkenhead, CH42 9LJ
Trust:CHESHIRE ACADEMIES TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 October 2023

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 10 months ago
Requires Improvement

Overall

Requires Improvement

Quality of Education

Requires Improvement

Behaviour & Attitudes

Requires Improvement

Personal Development

Requires Improvement

Leadership & Management

Requires Improvement

Early Years

Inspected 25 November 2025View full report
URN:150119
UKPRN:10093299
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Birkenhead
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The school has made impressive improvements in creating a calm, inclusive environment where pupils behave well and feel valued. Teachers are confident and skilled in delivering a thoughtfully-designed curriculum that challenges learners while supporting those who need extra help. The school goes beyond academics to offer rich cultural experiences, leadership opportunities and meaningful engagement with topical issues that help pupils develop as rounded individuals.

Key Strengths

  • Strong behaviour and positive relationships between pupils and staff create a calm, orderly learning environment
  • High-quality, ambitious curriculum that is well-sequenced and includes important themes like social justice and environmental awareness
  • Effective support for pupils with additional needs, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils
  • Significant improvements in attendance through structured routines and targeted interventions
  • Well-established enrichment programme including cultural visits, guest speakers and extra-curricular activities

Areas for Improvement

  • Year 1 phonics screening check results remain below national averages, though the school is addressing this
  • Attendance rates for some pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils still need continued improvement
  • Some subject areas lack sharp enough monitoring systems to give leaders rigorous understanding of pupil progress
  • Some leaders need stronger oversight to evaluate the impact of their actions

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met with an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

rugby, recorder club, choir, School Council Crew, beach visits, museum visits, art gallery visits, guest speakers on careers, litter picking initiatives

Woodchurch Road Academy is rated as meeting expected standards across all areas of inspection. The school has made significant improvements in curriculum, teaching, behaviour and attendance under new leadership, with pupils achieving well in reading, writing and mathematics.

At a Glance

54.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

Reading74%
Maths72%
Writing72%

2025/26 academic year

Class Sizes

27.4

Avg class size

27.0

Infant (KS1)

27.6

KS2

7

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Heatherdale Close (adj)
59m · 1 min walk
Kingsland Road (adj)
63m · 1 min walk
Merlin Road (adj)
200m · 3 min walk
Highgreen Road (adj)
222m · 4 min walk
Singleton Avenue (adj)
287m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

34%

Available places

171 pupils

497 capacity

326 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Birkenhead

Low pressure
New homes approved:470
Projected new pupils:118

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Birkenhead

Admissions Demand - Wirral

Low demand0.76x oversubscription

Places available

3,860

Applications

2,952

Got 1st preference

96.0%

Got preferred school

99.1%

Primary admissions across Wirral (2025/26)

Inspection History

25 November 2025
Requires ImprovementReport
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesRequires Improvement
Personal DevelopmentRequires Improvement
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement
Early YearsRequires Improvement

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

8.27551%

Overall absence

24.61538%

Persistent absence

195

Enrolments

Authorised5.98105%
Unauthorised2.29446%
Persistent (10%+)24.61538%
Severe (50%+)3.58974%

Absence trend

8.70431%
23/24
8.27551%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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