Woodlands, Birmingham

Ofsted's report card from its 23 June 2026 inspection grades Woodlands on 8 areas: 1 strong standard and 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders and those responsible for governance have been successful in driving rapid development of the school and bringing about a culture of reflection and improvement."

Achievement - Expected standard. "From their starting points, pupils generally achieve well and make steady progress."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils typically attend well despite some of the significant barriers they face, including ongoing health needs, which require regular medical appointments."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have implemented a curriculum which has been carefully constructed to be meaningful and accessible to pupils."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children in the early years get off to a flying start."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Inclusion is central to the ethos at Woodlands."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have developed a comprehensive personal development offer that supports pupils to understand themselves and others, while preparing them for their next steps in education and into adulthood."

Post-16 provision - Expected standard. "Post-16 provision is well led, both in terms of strategic oversight and day-to-day organisation."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should provide support and guidance to staff to further develop the precision of communication strategies across the school"; "Leaders should refine the personal development offer by using pupil engagement and achievement data more precisely so that it is tailored more closely to each pupil's needs"; "Leaders should ensure that precise, well-sequenced interventions address gaps in some pupils' foundational knowledge, including in early writing".

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From the headteacher's welcome: "As Headteacher, I am incredibly proud to lead a vibrant and nurturing school community where every pupil is supported to thrive. At Woodlands, we are proud to be part of the Unity Multi Academy Trust, working together with our partner schools to share best practice and continually improve the experience for all our pupils and families."

The nearest other special schools to Woodlands are Forest Oak School (2 miles, Outstanding); Merstone School (2 miles, Outstanding); The Heights Academy (2.6 miles); and Leycroft Academy (2.8 miles, Requires improvement).

Woodlands is one of 3 schools run by Unity MAT, an academy trust.

Of the 18 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 17% to a further education college.

45.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (80%), Black (6%) and Mixed (5%).

Almost every pupil at Woodlands has an education, health and care plan (216 of 216 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.

Woodlands provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.

The nearest railway station is Coleshill Parkway Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hall Walk (adjacent), 170 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 47 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Warwickshire (88).

In 2024/25, Woodlands issued 7 suspensions, 3.3 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.