School Chooser

Woodlands

Special · ages 2-19MixedAcademy216 pupilsSixth formNurseryBirminghamWarwickshire
School Chooser ScoreNot scoredWe don't score this type of school.
OfstedRequires improvementLast Ofsted inspection, November 2023
Reached the expected level at 110%England 63%
Attendance89.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families44%Far more than most schools
PlacesFull216 pupils, 214 places
Pupils per teacher10.1School workforce census

Woodlands is a special academy in Birmingham for boys and girls aged 2 to 19. It has 216 pupils, 2 more than it has places for. About 44 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. Ofsted's last grade was requires improvement, back in 2023.

Packington Lane, Coleshill, Birmingham, B46 3JE01675 463590woodlands.unitymat.co.ukMs Melanie Keating head teacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 28 November 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Requires improvement overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Requires improvement
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Sixth formOfsted calls this “post-16”
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes
Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
18 May 2022UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

14 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE scoreOfficial name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and mathsOfficial name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and mathsOfficial name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-1.59In each subject, pupils here finished well over a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018†WarwickshireEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 111418231866
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 80.10.250.046.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-1.59-1.57
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths0%0%53%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths0%0%70%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score0.010.004.474.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry0%0%43%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged0.00.0
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged0.20.3
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers0.10.2

† These results are for Woodlands, the school this one replaced in December 2017. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

7 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 110%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading scoreOfficial name: Reading average scaled score
Maths scoreOfficial name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 0%0%20172018: 0%0%20182019: 0%0%20192023: 0%0%20232024: 0%0%20242025: 0%0%2025
Since 2017: +0%
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure20252024202320192018†2017†WarwickshireEngland
Pupils tested71818151817
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%0%0%0%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%0%0%0%7%8%
Expected level: readingReading expected standard0%0%0%0%0%0%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard0%0%0%0%0%0%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)0%0%0%0%0%0%
Reading progressReading progress score-6.9-3.8-4.1-7.9
Maths progressMaths progress score-7.9-4.6-5.1-9.0
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged0%0%0%0%0%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged0%0%0%0%0%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for Woodlands, the school this one replaced in December 2017. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Warwickshire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who the school teaches, from the latest school census.

Pupils on roll216Census January 2026
Places214101% full
Pupils from low-income families46%44% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English5%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support0%0 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan100%216 pupils with a plan
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)40%£91,550 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls154 / 62
White British pupils80%

Specialist SEND provision. A special school for pupils with autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment, other needs, physical disability, profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, specific learning difficulties, visual impairment.

To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Warwickshire with autism provision.

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (87), language and communications needs (44), Severe learning difficulty (24), Specific learning difficulty (11), Moderate learning difficulty (10), Physical disability (10).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll216215215217217206
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals46%45%46%46%43%40%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language5%6%5%4%4%6%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support0%2%1%2%2%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans100%98%100%98%98%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 89.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance89.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school34.5%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils3.32024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.5%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence10.5%12.1%13.3%14.2%18.5%8.5%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence8.1%10.3%10.7%11.8%17.2%7.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.5%1.8%2.6%2.4%1.3%1.1%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence34.5%37.8%37.8%48.2%66.9%23.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate3.30.50.50.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 23 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training96%and stayed there for at least six months
Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training96%100%100%100%
Education96%100%100%100%
Apprenticeship0%0%0%0%
Work0%0%0%0%
Not in education, work or training4%0%0%0%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers21.4full-time equivalent, 24 people
Pupils per teacher10.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers96%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants60.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,379
Teachers who left in the year51%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher16.42024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other special schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£25,902England £30,720. Total £5.6m
Income per pupil£27,116England £33,526. Total £5.8m
Spent on teachers per pupil£7,930England £11,966
Money in reserve15%A healthy amount put by: £858k, £3,991 per pupil. England 16%
Money in against money out+£261kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£25,902spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m6012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate77 per 1,000 people16% lower than the England average
Typical house price£265,000North Warwickshire
Nearest bus stop170 mHall Walk, 7 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
The Coleshill SchoolAcademy290 m1,177Not inspected16Compare
St Edward's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy580 m234Good 202482Compare
Coleshill Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy890 m336Report card 202648Compare
Windy Arbor Primary SchoolAcademy1.1 miles407Report card 202663Compare
Bishop Wilson Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England1.2 miles415Good 202438Compare
High Meadow Community SchoolCouncil1.4 miles196Good 202344Compare
WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull)University technical college1.7 miles394No overall grade 20241Compare
Coleshill Heath SchoolAcademy1.7 miles480Good 2021Compare

Questions parents ask

Is Woodlands a good school?

Woodlands doesn't have a score yet. Ofsted rated it requires improvement at its last inspection in November 2023.

What is Woodlands's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Woodlands requires improvement at its last full inspection on 28 November 2023.

How good are Woodlands's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 0% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does Woodlands have?

216 pupils aged 2 to 19 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 214 places, so it is 101% full.

What is attendance like at Woodlands?

Pupils were in school 89.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 35% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

Does Woodlands have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It is a special school for autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment, other needs, physical disability, profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, specific learning difficulties, visual impairment. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.

Does Woodlands have a sixth form?

Yes.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Packington Lane, Coleshill, Birmingham, B46 3JE
Telephone
01675 463590
Website
www.woodlands.unitymat.co.uk
Head Teacher
Ms Melanie Keating
Type of school
Special academy (Academy special converter, academies)
Phase
Special school, ages 2-19, with nursery, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Unity MAT (3 schools)
Local authority
Warwickshire
Ward
Coleshill South
Constituency
North Warwickshire and Bedworth
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 December 2017 (academy converter)
URN
145224 · LAESTAB 9377047 · UKPRN 10066217
Formerly
Woodlands

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from