Woodlands Primary School, Birkenhead

Good
Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 211

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:Mrs Gemma Crosthwaite
Pupils:314 / 336 capacity
LA:Wirral
Phone:01516478406
Address:Hollybank Road, Birkenhead, CH41 2SY
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 4 years ago
-

Overall

Inspected 17 May 2022View full report
URN:104990
UKPRN:10078458
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Birkenhead
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Woodlands is a caring school where pupils thrive both academically and personally. The headteacher has created a calm, positive environment where all staff feel valued and supported, leading to good teaching and excellent pupil behaviour. The school celebrates learning visibly and provides a broad curriculum that includes local experiences like visits to beaches, lighthouses and art galleries that pupils love.

Key Strengths

  • Outstanding pupil behaviour - pupils are polite, thoughtful and considerate, with exemplary standards
  • Strong leadership vision with dedicated staff and governors committed to improving pupils' lives
  • Good quality teaching that is improving, with teachers using precise questions to extend learning
  • Effective safeguarding with staff going above minimum requirements to protect pupils and families
  • Broad and fascinating curriculum with good extracurricular activities and community links

Areas for Improvement

  • Ensuring pupils' work is consistently challenging enough to stretch them
  • Increasing the impact of middle leaders on provision and practice in their areas
  • Raising attainment across subjects, particularly for the most able pupils

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is effective with the school going much above minimum requirements; staff have strong knowledge of child protection, good relationships with families, and excellent case recording with clear understanding of local vulnerabilities.

Extracurricular Activities

Drama, girls' football, yoga, choir, homework club, breakfast club

Woodlands Primary School is a good school at the heart of the local community, led by a headteacher with insight and passion who is driving rapid improvement. The school is improving quickly with good teaching, exemplary pupil behaviour, and strong safeguarding arrangements.

At a Glance

61.2%

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+8ppMaths+16ppWriting+11pp

Reading has improved from 58% to 66%. Maths has improved from 58% to 74%. Writing has improved from 53% to 64%.

Class Sizes

21.5

Avg class size

23.0

Infant (KS1)

20.1

KS2

15

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Social & online

Getting There

Train Stations

Birkenhead Central Rail Station
453m · 7 min walk

Bus Stops

Maple Street (nr)
54m · 1 min walk
Whetstone Lane (adj)
103m · 2 min walk
Quarry Bank (adj)
223m · 4 min walk
Elm Grove (adj)
251m · 4 min walk
Argyle Street South (nr)
327m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

93%

Near capacity

314 pupils

336 capacity

22 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(6)

17 May 2022
1 November 2016
Leadership & ManagementGood
6 October 2011
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Early YearsGood

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

7.76381%

Overall absence

23.39623%

Persistent absence

265

Enrolments

Authorised4.84731%
Unauthorised2.9165%
Persistent (10%+)23.39623%
Severe (50%+)0.37736%

Absence trend

5.74005%
18/19
11.78153%
20/21
9.52205%
21/22
9.2155%
22/23
7.67389%
23/24
7.76381%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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