Woodlands Academy

Woodlands Academy has made significant improvements since its last inspection, moving from requires improvement to a good overall rating. The school has developed an ambitious curriculum that is effectively delivered, particularly in reading and mathematics, fostering positive attitudes towards learning among pupils. Leaders have established a supportive environment where pupils feel safe and valued, even implementing a new behavior system that has improved classroom conduct. However, the school faces challenges with providing adequate support for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in specific subjects, as well as ensuring a comprehensive personal development curriculum.

Strengths

• Pupils are proud and happy to attend the school.
• Leaders have high expectations and prioritize pupils' interests.
• The curriculum is ambitious and well-sequenced in many subjects.
• High-quality teaching strategies have been implemented effectively.
• Strong emphasis on reading skills that support learning across subjects.
• Effective pastoral support and focus on mental health and well-being.
• Rising attendance rates due to proactive leadership.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent scaffolding for pupils with SEND in some subjects.
• Inadequate implementation of the personal development curriculum.

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 Academy attended 92.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 26.3% 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, 1.8% of pupils at Woodlands Academy 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 Academy had 15.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 44.4% 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, 20.3% of pupils at Woodlands Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.0% 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 2024–25 Woodlands Academy received £8,527 and spent £9,454 for each of its 152 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £89,000 (£584 per pupil).

Across all 33 schools of Cabot Learning Federation, income was £8,647 and spending £8,763 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bristol · Bristol, City of local authority: places and applications

Woodlands Academy is part of Cabot Learning Federation, which runs 34 schools. The nearest others:

• Waycroft Academy Bristol
• Wicklea Academy Bristol
• Hanham Woods Academy Bristol
• The City Academy Bristol Bristol
• Summerhill Academy Bristol
• John Cabot Academy Bristol
• Evergreen Primary Academy Bristol
• Bristol Brunel Academy Bristol
• Digitech Studio School Bristol
• King's Oak Academy Bristol

What is Woodlands Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Woodlands Academy is Good, from an inspection in September 2022.

When was Woodlands Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Woodlands Academy was last inspected in September 2022.

How many pupils does Woodlands Academy have?

Woodlands Academy has 133 pupils on roll.

What age range does Woodlands Academy cover?

Woodlands Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Woodlands Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Woodlands Academy?

Woodlands Academy is at Whittock Road, Stockwood, Bristol, BS14 8DQ.