Woodlands Primary School, Liverpool

Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~556m)Possible (~794m)Unlikely (~1.0km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Jayne Nel
Pupils:349 / 342 capacity
LA:Sefton
Phone:01704876444
Address:Woodlands Road, Formby, Liverpool, L37 2JN
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 5 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 21 April 2026View full report
URN:104881
UKPRN:10070131
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Sefton Central
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Woodlands is a caring, well-ordered school where your child will feel safe and supported. The school excels at early reading and maths, with well-trained staff who adapt teaching to meet individual needs. With excellent behaviour, strong attendance, and a welcoming culture for all pupils including those with SEND, your child will have a positive school experience alongside good academic progress.

Key Strengths

  • Strong phonics teaching and early reading skills development in Key Stage 1
  • Excellent pupil behaviour and attendance, with rare bullying and quick staff responses to issues
  • Well-structured support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged learners
  • Ambitious, well-considered curriculum across all subjects
  • Inclusive culture where all pupils feel they belong and can access the same activities

Areas for Improvement

  • Reading support for older pupils is not precise enough and gaps close more slowly than needed
  • Teachers sometimes miss opportunities to help pupils connect new learning to existing knowledge
  • Pupils' understanding of fundamental British values like democracy and equality varies and needs strengthening

Safeguarding

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

Extracurricular Activities

Playground pals, house captains, sports leaders, community concerts, visits to museums and wildlife reserves, cycling safety activities, online safety learning

Woodlands Primary School provides a safe, inclusive environment where pupils achieve well overall, with particular strengths in early reading, mathematics and pupil behaviour. Safeguarding standards are met and leaders have created a positive school culture based on respect and care.

At a Glance

10.8%

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)

2024
2025
Reading-2ppMaths-8ppWriting+2pp

Reading has remained stable at around 78%. Maths has declined from 78% to 70%. Writing has remained stable at around 80%.

Class Sizes

28.5

Avg class size

25.6

Infant (KS1)

30.5

KS2

12

Total classes

4 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Social & online

Getting There

Train Stations

Formby Rail Station (Entrance)
510m · 8 min walk

Bus Stops

Grasmere Road (adj)
91m · 1 min walk
Ennerdale Road (adj)
122m · 2 min walk
Coniston Road (adj)
232m · 4 min walk
Mere Road (adj)
254m · 4 min walk
Holmwood Gardens (adj)
286m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

102%

Over capacity

349 pupils

342 capacity

7 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Liverpool

High pressure
New homes approved:8,038
Projected new pupils:2,010

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Liverpool

Admissions Demand - Sefton

Low demand0.82x oversubscription

Places available

3,095

Applications

2,536

Got 1st preference

92.8%

Got preferred school

98.5%

Primary admissions across Sefton (2025/26)

Inspection History(7)

21 April 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
10 March 2022
12 January 2016

House Prices

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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

4.19401%

Overall absence

8.05861%

Persistent absence

273

Enrolments

Authorised3.29389%
Unauthorised0.90012%
Persistent (10%+)8.05861%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

3.90515%
18/19
2.50621%
20/21
5.36464%
21/22
5.43243%
22/23
4.62816%
23/24
4.19401%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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