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Woodchurch Road Academy

Woodchurch Road Academy

Wirral, CH42 9LJPrimary School·Ages 3-11
R. Improvementby Ofsted

39%

Capacity

192

Pupils

2.2x

Demand

About Woodchurch Road Academy

Woodchurch Road Academy is a primary school in Wirral that receives strong interest from local families, with 26 applications for just 12 places in the 2025/26 admissions round. That works out at just over two applicants per place, and nine of those applications were first-preference choices. The school is clearly on many parents' radar, though it is worth noting that the most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated the school as Requires Improvement overall. That said, the inspection report gave Good ratings for early years provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes, which suggests that parents may be seeing positive day-to-day experiences for their children even while the school works on the areas flagged by inspectors.

Academically, the picture is mixed. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection rated quality of education and leadership and management as Requires Improvement, which aligns with the overall rating. For context, the local authority average for Key Stage 2 attainment in Wirral is 53 per cent, though Woodchurch Road Academy's own KS2 results are not available in the data. The school has a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 57.3 per cent, which is significantly above the national average and can sometimes affect headline attainment figures. Compared with its previous inspection in 2018, the school has held a Requires Improvement rating across both visits, so progress on the academic front has been slow. There is no sixth form, and the school does not publish Progress 8 or A-Level data, as it is a primary-only setting.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sensory room, forest school, art studios, music rooms, and a chapel, plus playing fields and a sports hall. Clubs include coding, chess, book club, science club and film club, and sports on offer range from cricket and netball to dance and cross country. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, and speech language and communication needs. With nursery provision on site, it could suit families looking for continuity from age three through to Year 6. However, with 192 pupils against a capacity of 497, the school is significantly under-enrolled, which may reflect the local demographic or parental choices in the area. For families who prioritise a school with strong pastoral ratings and a wide activities programme, Woodchurch Road Academy may be worth a closer look, particularly if the school's current improvement journey aligns with their expectations.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
Address99 Woodchurch Road, Woodchurch Road Academy, Birkenhead, Wirral, CH42 9LJ
HeadteacherAlexandra Borrill
Local AuthorityWirral
Number of Pupils192
Free School Meals (FSM)57.3%
School Capacity192 / 497 (39% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

26 Apr 2022
View Report

Overall Effectiveness

Requires improvement

Unchanged
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement

Additional Provisions

Early Years Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 3 Jul 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

Facilities

9
Sensory RoomArt StudiosLibraryForest SchoolDining HallPlaying FieldsSports HallMusic RoomsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

12

Sports

CricketAthleticsRoundersDanceNetballFootballCross Country

Clubs & Activities

CodingChessBook ClubScience ClubFilm Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

Admissions

2025/26Oversubscribed
Places

12

Applications

26

Good Demand

Popular school with more applications than places

Applications to places ratio2.2x
0x1x2x3x5x+

9 families put this school as their 1st choice (35% of all applications)

Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.

Class profile

2024/25
Pupils per teacherAbove average
19.8pupils per qualified teacher

Better than half of schools in England.

Average class sizeBelow average
27.4pupils per class

Half of schools in England do better than this.

Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Pupils & demographics

2024/25
Free school meals57.3%

Among the highest-disadvantage schools.

English as additional language9.4%

Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.

Ethnic background

  • White British85.9%
  • Asian6.7%
  • White (other)2.6%
  • Mixed2.6%

Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.

Attendance & Behaviour

2024/25
Overall attendanceBottom 25% of schools
91.7%

75% of schools in England do better than this.

Persistent absenteesBottom 25% of schools
24.6%

75% of schools in England do better than this.

Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.

Fixed-period suspensionsBelow average
3.2 per 100

Half of schools in England do better than this.

A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.

Permanent exclusionsLike most schools
None

Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.

Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.

Catchment & Local Competition

Loading map...
1 mile reference · no real data

No catchment data published for this school

The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.

⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.

Schools within 1 mile (reference area)

1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.

14

Total schools

12

Oversubscribed

10

Primary

High competition area

Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Woodchurch Road Academy

Woodchurch Road Academy has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.

Contact Information

01516523104

99 Woodchurch Road, Woodchurch Road Academy, Birkenhead

Wirral, CH42 9LJ

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99 Woodchurch Road, Woodchurch Road Academy, Birkenhead

Wirral, CH42 9LJ

Journey to School

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Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.

Opening Hours

Monday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

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