Woods Bank Academy, Wednesbury
Woods Bank Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Wednesbury, part of The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 14 schools in Wednesbury with published results, and 7,353rd of 14,452 across England. It was 88% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Walsall (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Woods Bank Academy in detail
Woods Bank Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am the Principal of Woods Bank Academy, in Darlaston, Walsall. On behalf of the children and staff, I would like to welcome you. We are one of a number of primary academies within The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust and we are federated with two other local schools: Kings Rise Academy in Birmingham and Croft Academy in Walsall."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at Woods Bank Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 74% in Walsall and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (77% in reading, 79% in maths).
Getting a place at Woods Bank Academy
For September 2026 entry, 28 families put Woods Bank Academy as their first choice and 43 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Woods Bank Academy are St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Darlaston (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 94% reading, 84% maths); Old Church Church of England C Primary School (0.3 miles); Pinfold Street Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 67% reading, 77% maths); and Salisbury Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 74% reading, 71% maths).
Woods Bank Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, DarlastonOld Church Church of England C Primary SchoolPinfold Street Primary SchoolSalisbury Primary School
The trust
Woods Bank Academy is one of 37 schools run by The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
66% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 55 pupils (18.2%) received SEN support and 8 (2.6%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Willenhall Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Willenhall Street (after), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Woods Bank Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Woods Bank Academy issued 2 suspensions, 0.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Woods Bank Academy are Grace Academy Darlaston (0.3 miles); St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall (0.5 miles); and Moseley Park (1.3 miles).
Grace Academy DarlastonSt Thomas More Catholic School, WillenhallMoseley Park
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils at Woods Bank Academy are well behaved, polite, and have good manners. They form positive relationships with staff and each other. The school sets high expectations for pupils' learning and behaviour. Pupils meet these expectations well. Many pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
Pupils enjoy their learning and feel valued and safe. They know who to talk to if they are worried about anything.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has worked hard to improve the curriculum. It has carried out a thorough review and made significant changes. As a result, pupils now benefit from a well-structured and ambitious curriculum, which sets out the key knowledge and vocabulary for each subject. This sequenced approach helps pupils build on their learning step by step.
The school has introduced a structured approach to teaching phonics and reading. Staff are well trained and deliver the phonics programme consistently well. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they join the school. Pupils who struggle receive extra help from staff when needed. Pupils read books that are matched to the sounds that they have learned. This approach is helping more pupils to read confidently. Teachers read to pupils often, which further fosters a love of reading.
From Ofsted's July 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Early years (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
66.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 76% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 78% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 74% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
22.5
Avg class size
21.0
Infant (KS1)
23.0
KS2
12
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Woods Bank Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Woods Bank Academy.
- Happy Hours Childcare Ltd560m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Woods Bank Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Walsall's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Woods Bank Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Woods Bank Academy is in Walsall; for families living there:
Apply to Walsall for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 20 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot.
8 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 Walsall is 20.5 (the median across 134 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 Woods Bank Academy
Will you get a place at Woods Bank Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Woods Bank Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Woods Bank Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Woods Bank Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Walsall, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Woods Bank Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Walsall 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
88%
Available places
319 pupils
364 places
45 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Wednesbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wednesbury
Across Walsall council
Places available
3,855
Applications
3,340
Got 1st preference
93.8%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across Walsall council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
55
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
20.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
303
Total Pupils
156
Boys
147
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
15.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£42,706
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,445
Per pupil
£2548k
Total funding
£326k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.7%
Overall absence
15.0%
Persistent absence
307
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
Woods Bank Academy
Questions parents ask about Woods Bank Academy
What are SATs results like at Woods Bank Academy?
Of the pupils at Woods Bank Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 76% reached the expected standard in reading and 78% did so in maths.
What is Woods Bank Academy's Ofsted rating?
Woods Bank Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2022 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Woods Bank Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Woods Bank Academy is oversubscribed, Walsall allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Woods Bank Academy?
Woods Bank Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 88% of its 364 places.
How big are the classes at Woods Bank Academy?
Classes at Woods Bank Academy average 22.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Woods Bank Academy?
Woods Bank Academy has around 303 pupils on roll. 66% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Woods Bank Academy?
6.7% of sessions were missed at Woods Bank Academy in 2024/25. 15% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Woods Bank Academy?
Apply through Walsall's coordinated admissions process, naming Woods Bank Academy 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 Woods Bank Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Woods Bank Academy: Happy Hours Childcare Ltd (560m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Woods Bank Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 20 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot. 8 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 Walsall is 20.5 (the median across 134 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Woods Bank Academy?
Woods Bank Academy is at Rough Hay Road, Darlaston, Wednesbury, West Midlands, WS10 8NQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)