Woodlands Infant School, Solihull
Woodlands Infant School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 7 in Solihull. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2022. It was 95% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Solihull (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Woodlands Infant School in detail
Getting a place at Woodlands Infant School
For September 2026 entry, 40 families put Woodlands Infant School as their first choice and 156 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Woodlands Infant School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Woodlands Infant School are Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles, 84% reading, 87% maths); Shirley Heath Junior School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 78% reading, 78% maths); Burman Infant School (0.6 miles, Requires improvement); and Tudor Grange Primary Academy, St James (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 80% reading, 63% maths).
Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Primary SchoolShirley Heath Junior SchoolBurman Infant SchoolTudor Grange Primary Academy, St James
Who goes there
10.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 46.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (46%), Asian (26%) and Chinese (13%).
In 2026, 25 pupils (12.3%) received SEN support and 2 (1%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Staffing
Woodlands Infant School had 11 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Shirley Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Light Hall School (opposite), 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Woodlands Infant School issued 8 suspensions, 4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Woodlands Infant School are Light Hall School (0.1 miles) and Alderbrook School (1.4 miles).
Sources: 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); 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2022 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Woodlands is a very happy place where children flourish and develop strong values of kindness and responsibility. Reading is taught exceptionally well with a passion for books woven throughout school life. Pupils develop as confident leaders and learners with access to a wide range of enriching experiences that celebrate diversity and develop their talents.
Key Strengths
- Reading is a priority strength with excellent phonics teaching and a love of books promoted throughout the school
- Pupils have outstanding personal development with strong leadership roles from Reception class onwards
- Behaviour and attitudes are excellent - pupils are well-mannered, eager learners who share equipment and show kindness
- Well-being is central to school life with pupils learning about safety, the environment, and different cultures
- Staff are well-trained in subjects like mathematics and PE with effective teaching and learning resources
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum planning in some subjects does not progress smoothly from early years into key stage 1, so new learning doesn't build on prior knowledge as effectively as it could
- The governing body has struggled to recruit new governors, resulting in vacancies that have affected their ability to hold leaders to account
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff receiving regular training, quick identification of pupils needing support, and engagement with external agencies where required.
Extracurricular Activities
Coding club, golf club, whole-school trips to theatres, before- and after-school clubs, environmental activities including gardening and litter picking competitions
Woodlands Infant School is a happy, harmonious community where pupils thrive and achieve well from Nursery to Year 2. The school has improved from its previous 'Requires improvement' rating to 'Good' overall.
At a Glance
10.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
26.0
Avg class size
28.0
Infant (KS1)
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Woodlands Infant School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Woodlands Infant School.
- Central Coaching and Sports AcademyAt the school · Not yet graded
- Central Out of School ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
- OLOW Out Of School Care480m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Woodlands Infant School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Solihull. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 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 Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Woodlands Infant School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Woodlands Infant School is in Solihull; for families living there:
Apply to Solihull for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 11 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 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 Solihull is 12 (the median across 90 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 Woodlands Infant School
Will you get a place at Woodlands Infant School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Woodlands Infant School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Woodlands Infant School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Woodlands Infant School.
- Solihull publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Woodlands Infant School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Woodlands Infant School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Solihull 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
95%
Near capacity
171 pupils
180 places
9 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Solihull
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Solihull
Across Solihull council
Places available
2,638
Applications
2,090
Got 1st preference
91.7%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Solihull council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
25
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
13.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
204
Total Pupils
107
Boys
97
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
18.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,164
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,713
Per pupil
£1050k
Total funding
£36k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.9%
Overall absence
4.9%
Persistent absence
123
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
Woodlands Infant School
Questions parents ask about Woodlands Infant School
What is Woodlands Infant School's Ofsted rating?
Woodlands Infant School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2019 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Woodlands Infant School?
No fixed boundary. When Woodlands Infant School is oversubscribed, Solihull allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Woodlands Infant School?
Woodlands Infant School was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Woodlands Infant School?
Classes at Woodlands Infant School average 26 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Woodlands Infant School?
Woodlands Infant School has around 204 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Woodlands Infant School?
3.9% of sessions were missed at Woodlands Infant School in 2024/25. 4.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Woodlands Infant School?
Apply through Solihull's coordinated admissions process, naming Woodlands Infant 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 Woodlands Infant School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs at the school: Central Coaching and Sports Academy (registered, not yet graded) and Central Out of School Club (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Woodlands Infant School's term dates?
Woodlands Infant School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Solihull. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 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 Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Woodlands Infant School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 11 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 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 Solihull is 12 (the median across 90 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Woodlands Infant School?
Woodlands Infant School is at Woodlands Lane, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 2PX.
Sources: Solihull term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)