Fernwood Primary School

About Fernwood Primary School

Fernwood Primary School is a large state primary in Nottingham, currently educating 1,122 pupils against an official capacity of 1,050, meaning it is operating well above its intended size. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 9.9%, which is notably lower than the national average for primary schools, suggesting a relatively advantaged intake compared with many schools in the local authority. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 271 applications for 150 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.81, and only 147 of those 150 first-preference offers were made, indicating that even families who put Fernwood first are not guaranteed a spot. The school is mixed, non-denominational, and caters for children aged 3 to 11, with nursery provision on site. Headteacher Ben Waldram leads a school that has clearly grown in popularity since its last full inspection, and the numbers suggest it is now one of the more sought-after primaries in Nottingham.

Academically, Fernwood performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 71% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Nottingham LA average of 60%. The school ranks 14th out of 72 primary schools in the authority, placing it in the top 20% locally, and 3,723rd nationally out of 13,686 schools. In individual subjects, 84% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, 81% in writing and 81% in maths, with average scaled scores of 107 in reading and 106 in maths. At the higher standard, 15% of pupils achieved the higher benchmark across all three subjects. Ofsted last inspected the school in February 2025, confirming that standards were maintained at Good, with leadership and management and early years provision both rated Good. This represents a clear improvement from the school's previous graded inspection in 2019, when it was judged to require improvement overall.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including art studios, music rooms, a sports hall, ICT suite, sensory room and playing fields, plus a chapel on site. Sports on offer include athletics, cricket, rounders, dance, gymnastics and tennis, and there are clubs for art, gardening and chess. SEND provision is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties, with a resourced provision on site. Parent views are overwhelmingly positive: 96% of the 180 respondents would recommend the school, and 97% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy there. However, only 69% of parents felt that SEND children receive the support they need, which is a lower satisfaction rate than other areas. This is a school that suits families who value strong academic outcomes, a wide range of facilities and a popular, well-regarded local option, but oversubscription means early application is essential.

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