Woodford Primary School

Woodford Primary School is demonstrating significant improvement across all areas since its last inspection, showcasing strong pupil achievement and a well-rounded curriculum. The school effectively prepares pupils for secondary education, with reading being a central focus in the curriculum which also integrates a broad range of subjects. Leadership and governance promote a culture of excellence, and strong support mechanisms are in place for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), contributing to a positive learning environment where empathy and respect are fostered among students. This inspection marks the school's first ungraded evaluation since being rated as good in 2019, and the findings indicate a promising trend for the school’s future performance.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve exceptionally well academically.
• The curriculum is ambitious and inspires a high level of engagement in students.
• There is a strong focus on reading, with staff effectively delivering phonics instruction.
• Pupils receive excellent support if they struggle with reading.
• Personal development and safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Opportunities for leadership and enrichment are available and well-received by students.
• Staff are committed to continuous self-improvement and value professional development.

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 Woodford Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.5% 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, 0.8% of pupils at Woodford Primary 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 Woodford Primary School had 24.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.2% 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, 14.6% of pupils at Woodford Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.5% 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 Woodford Primary School received £5,975 and spent £5,897 for each of its 392 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £660,000 (£1,684 per pupil).

Across all 31 schools of Westcountry Schools Trust, income was £7,571 and spending £7,467 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 Plymouth · Plymouth local authority: places and applications

Woodford Primary School is part of Westcountry Schools Trust, which runs 31 schools. The nearest others:

• Hele's School Plymouth
• Boringdon Primary School Plymouth
• Austin Farm Academy Plymouth
• Plympton St Maurice Primary School Plymouth
• Chaddlewood Primary School Plymouth
• Glen Park Primary School Plymouth
• Morley Meadow Primary School Plymouth
• Sherford Vale School & Nursery Sherford
• Eggbuckland Community College Plymouth
• Plymstock School Plymouth

What is Woodford Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Woodford Primary School is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Woodford Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Woodford Primary School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Woodford Primary School have?

Woodford Primary School has 398 pupils on roll.

What age range does Woodford Primary School cover?

Woodford Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Woodford Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Woodford Primary School?

Woodford Primary School is at Litchaton Way, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 4RR.