Woodlands School, Shrewsbury

Ofsted's report card from its 9 June 2026 inspection grades Woodlands School on 6 areas: 5 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils make progress from their starting points."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise attendance and recognise that not being in school is a safeguarding concern."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have established systems to identify and respond to pupils' needs."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear and informed understanding of the school's context."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Personal development is central to the school's work and reflects pupils' needs."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "The curriculum includes academic and vocational pathways."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that pupils develop secure writing skills so they can communicate their ideas independently across the curriculum, by improving pupils' handwriting, spelling, punctuation and sentence construction"; "Leaders should ensure that teaching consistently reflects pupils' identified needs, including the precise implementation of education, health and care plan requirements, so that adaptations enable pupils to access and learn the intended curriculum"; "Leaders should ensure that assessment is used consistently to identify and address pupils' misconceptions as they arise, so that gaps in foundational knowledge close quickly and pupils develop secure understanding over time"; "Leaders and those responsible for governance should strengthen their work with parents, so that communication and partnership consistently support pupils' progress, attendance and success beyond their time at the school".

In its own words: "We are a specialist school for children and young people with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. "We aim to provide a purposeful caring environment where every individual is treated with respect and dignity, and all children and young people are encouraged to realise their full potential, regardless of their ethnicity, sexual orientation or ability.""

From the headteacher's welcome: "Woodlands is a specialist provision catering for children and young people aged nine to sixteen who have Special Educational Needs (SEN), specifically Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH). We provide education for up to 84 children and young people with EHC plans on a non-residential basis."

The nearest other special schools to Woodlands School are Access School (1.5 miles, Good); and Smallbrook School (1.8 miles).

Woodlands School is one of 18 schools run by Marches Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 11 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 27% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 27% to a further education college and 9% into work.

67.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.

Almost every pupil at Woodlands School has an education, health and care plan (66 of 67 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Wem Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.

In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Shropshire (10).

In 2024/25, Woodlands School issued 130 suspensions, 240.7 for every 100 pupils, and 2 permanent exclusions.