Woodchurch Road Academy

Woodchurch Road Academy is a small school that has undergone significant change since its previous inspection, including joining Cheshire Academies Trust and appointing new leadership. Inspectors found the school meeting the expected standard across all evaluated areas, with safeguarding standards met. Pupils achieve in line with national averages in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2, and disadvantaged pupils performed above the national average in the combined reading, writing and mathematics measure in 2024/25, although gaps remain in individual subjects. Phonics teaching is now much more secure after previous weaknesses were addressed, the curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced, behaviour is consistently positive, inclusion has been strengthened, and personal development is rich. There are still clear areas for improvement. Attendance remains above national averages, and persistent absence is high, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils, so leaders need to continue embedding their attendance strategy. Monitoring and analysis in some subjects are not yet sharp enough to give leaders a rigorous understanding of pupils' progress, and some wider leaders do not yet have the oversight needed to evaluate the impact of their actions. Leaders have a clear understanding of priorities, and trustees and governors provide effective support and challenge, with staff morale high.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve in line with national averages in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2.
• Multiplication tables check outcomes improved in 2025, including for disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils.
• Phonics teaching is now much more secure after previous issues were addressed.
• The curriculum is ambitious, thoughtfully sequenced and includes themes such as social justice, diversity and belonging.
• Staff are confident and well trained, and assessment is typically used effectively to identify gaps.
• Pupils who fall behind receive timely interventions and catch up, including in phonics.
• Behaviour is consistently positive, and relationships between pupils and staff are respectful.
• Attendance has improved through effective strategies, targeted support and structured routines.
• Early years provision is calm and effective, with strong communication and language support and a refined curriculum.
• Inclusion is stronger, with effective systems to identify needs and adapt learning for pupils with SEND.
• Personal development is well structured, with rich cultural, extracurricular and pupil leadership opportunities.
• Leaders have improved curriculum, teaching and behaviour, and staff morale is high.
• Trustees and governors provide appropriate support and challenge and understand their statutory duties.

Areas for Improvement

• Attendance remains above national averages, and persistent absence is still high, especially for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders should continue to embed the attendance strategy so persistent absence falls further over time.
• Monitoring and analysis in some subjects are not sharp enough to give leaders a rigorous understanding of pupils' progress.
• Some wider leaders do not yet have the rigorous oversight needed to evaluate the impact of their actions.
• The school should use better progress monitoring to set priorities and address any achievement issues, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.

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 Woodchurch Road Academy attended 91.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 24.6% 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, 2.1% of pupils at Woodchurch Road 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 Woodchurch Road Academy had 18.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 29.9% 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, 29.8% of pupils at Woodchurch Road Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.8% 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 Woodchurch Road Academy received £9,876 and spent £8,670 for each of its 192 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £227,000 (£1,182 per pupil).

Across all 11 schools of Expedition Schools, income was £7,320 and spending £6,995 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 Birkenhead · Wirral local authority: places and applications

Woodchurch Road Academy is part of Expedition Schools, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Rock Ferry Primary School Birkenhead
• Brookhurst Primary School Wirral
• Gayton Primary School Wirral
• Pinehurst Primary School Liverpool
• Woodfall Primary and Nursery School Neston
• Mill View Primary School Chester
• Boughton Heath Academy Chester
• Kelsall Primary and Nursery School Tarporley
• Hebden Green Community School Winsford
• Over Hall Community School Winsford

What is Woodchurch Road Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Woodchurch Road Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in February 2026.

When was Woodchurch Road Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Woodchurch Road Academy was last inspected in February 2026.

How many pupils does Woodchurch Road Academy have?

Woodchurch Road Academy has 171 pupils on roll.

What age range does Woodchurch Road Academy cover?

Woodchurch Road Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Woodchurch Road Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Woodchurch Road Academy?

Woodchurch Road Academy is at 99 Woodchurch Road, Oxton, Woodchurch Road Academy, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH42 9LJ.