Woodmansterne School

About Woodmansterne School

Woodmansterne School is a large all-through state school in Lambeth, serving pupils from age 3 to 18. In the local secondary landscape, it ranks 4th out of 15 schools in the borough when measured by Progress 8, placing it comfortably in the top third of Lambeth secondaries. The three schools above it are The Elms Academy, Oasis Academy South Bank, and Bishop Thomas Grant Catholic Secondary School, the last of which is also the nearest school in the borough rated Outstanding by Ofsted, located 1.8 km away. Woodmansterne itself holds a Good rating from its most recent inspection in 2024, with inspectors awarding Outstanding marks for personal development and for behaviour and attitudes. The school is led by headteacher Samantha Palin and is non-denominational, with a capacity of 1,842 and currently 1,621 pupils on roll. Around 23 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, reflecting a broadly average level of disadvantage for the area.

Academically, Woodmansterne delivers results that are above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.24 is well ahead of the Lambeth average of 0.07, and the school’s overall banding for this measure is Above average. Attainment 8 sits at 50.1, and 78.6 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, dropping to 57.9 per cent at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.28, though only 20 per cent of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. In the sixth form, results are more mixed: the value added score is -0.86, placing progress in the Well below average band, and the average points per entry is 21.57, equivalent to a D grade. The best three A-levels average out at a D+. The school’s strongest Progress 8 subject area is maths, with a score of 0.68, while English and the EBacc subjects are closer to the national average.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 461 applications for 55 places, an oversubscription ratio of 8.38, with 94 first-preference applications and 47 offers made to first-preference families. Facilities are extensive and include a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, art studios, a sixth form centre, and an ICT suite. The school also has a chapel. Sports on offer include tennis, football, rugby, cricket, gymnastics, cross country, and basketball, while clubs range from coding and chess to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, orchestra, and Model UN. SEND provision covers a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health support. Parent View responses, based on 166 respondents, show 87 per cent would recommend the school, with particularly strong agreement that children are happy, feel safe, and can take part in clubs and activities.

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