Woodhall Primary School

About Woodhall Primary School

Woodhall Primary School sits within the Suffolk local authority, in the Babergh district, and ranks 15th out of 34 primary schools in that area. That puts it comfortably in the top half locally, though it sits behind the top-performing peers in the county such as Stratford St Mary Primary School, Somerleyton Primary School and Wenhaston Primary School, which all score higher on the same ranking metric. Woodhall’s ranking score of 64 places it 73rd out of 253 primary schools across the whole of Suffolk, meaning it is a solidly mid-ranking school in a competitive local landscape. The school is a state-funded, mixed primary for children aged 3 to 11, with a nursery provision on site. It has no religious character and is led by headteacher Lisa Tweed. With 446 pupils on roll against a capacity of 420, the school is slightly over capacity, and a third of its pupils (33.6%) are eligible for free school meals, which is notably above the national average and reflects the school’s inclusive intake.

Academically, Woodhall performs well against the Suffolk average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to the local authority average of 58%. That six-point gap is meaningful and suggests the school is adding value for its pupils. The average scaled scores in reading and maths both sit at 105, which is exactly the national benchmark. A higher-than-average proportion of pupils reached the higher standard in maths (27%) and reading (25%), though writing at the higher level was lower at 18%. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, rated it Good overall, a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2016. The inspection noted that personal development was Outstanding, and the ungraded visit confirmed the school had improved significantly. Behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, quality of education and early years provision were all rated Good.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about Woodhall. In the Parent View survey covering September 2024 to September 2025, 91% of the 111 respondents said they would recommend the school. Strongly agree responses were high across the board: 59% strongly agreed their child is happy, 59% strongly agreed their child feels safe, and 66% strongly agreed there is a good range of subjects. The school offers a broad set of facilities including a sensory room, forest school, ICT suite, art studios, sports hall and a chapel. Clubs include chess, choir, eco club and film club, and sports on offer are rounders, tennis, athletics and swimming. The school has a dedicated SEN unit and supports a wide range of needs including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed: 82 applications for 55 places, with 54 of those coming from first-preference families. This is a school that suits families looking for a well-regarded, inclusive primary with strong pastoral care and a clear upward trajectory.

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