Woodlands Infant School

Woodlands Infant School is performing well, achieving a good overall effectiveness rating during its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic. The school is characterized by a happy and harmonious community where pupils thrive and feel safe. Leaders prioritize the well-being of pupils, staff, and parents, and the dedication of the staff results in a high standard of education, especially in reading and personal development, which was rated outstanding. Pupils exhibit good behavior, engage actively in lessons, and are encouraged to take on leadership roles, fostering a sense of responsibility and kindness within the school environment.

Strengths

• Strong emphasis on reading and phonics with a focus on fluency.
• Supportive and safe environment for pupils.
• Outstanding personal development fostering kindness and responsibility.
• Well-trained staff in physical education and mathematics.
• Rich variety of extra-curricular activities available to pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum progression lacks clarity in a few subjects from early years to key stage 1.
• Challenges in recruiting new governors leading to vacancies on the governing body.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Woodlands Infant School attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.5% of pupils at Woodlands Infant School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Woodlands Infant School had 19.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 12.3% of pupils at Woodlands Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Woodlands Infant School received £7,128 and spent £6,974 for each of its 189 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £253,000 (£1,343 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Solihull · Solihull local authority: places and applications

What is Woodlands Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Woodlands Infant School is Good, from an inspection in November 2022.

When was Woodlands Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Woodlands Infant School was last inspected in November 2022.

How many pupils does Woodlands Infant School have?

Woodlands Infant School has 204 pupils on roll.

What age range does Woodlands Infant School cover?

Woodlands Infant School for pupils aged 3 to 7.

Where is Woodlands Infant School?

Woodlands Infant School is at Woodlands Lane, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 2PX.