The Woodlands

Pupil referral unit · All-through, ages 6 to 16 · Mixed

Broom Road, Ferryhill, DL17 8AN

01740 656040 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 15 June 2016; confirmed 2025
Pupils330Room for 100 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 109 in 2019, 163 in 2021, 154 in 2022, 126 in 2023, 225 in 2024, 228 in 2025, 330 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals81%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 15 June 2016.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Outcomes for pupilsGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Leadership and managementGood
SafeguardingEffective

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 30 April 2025: Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

39 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 87% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 92% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 85% 84%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 25 parents who had raised a concern 88% 76%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 30 parents of children with SEND 87% 68%
I would recommend this school to another parent 92%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 17%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in County Durham. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in County Durham

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 77.6% 32.3%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan 1.3% 2.4%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support 12.3% 13.6%* 13.4%
English as an additional language 0.0% 4.1%* 19.2%
Pupils per teacher 11.1 16.5 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 4.8 12.7 11.8
Teachers who left during the year 4.2% 10.4%* 14.2%*

Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Nearby secondary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is The Woodlands's Ofsted rating?

The Woodlands was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 15 June 2016. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 30 April 2025, Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

Would parents recommend The Woodlands?

92% of the 39 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend The Woodlands to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.