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“The care and support my son receives from Woodlands School has helped him to grow into the bright and happy young boy he is today”. - parent “We are so proud of how far our son has come and so grateful to everyone who continues to support him on his journey”! - parent

"Woodlands School has a very friendly, inclusive learning environment" - staff "I feel happy and safe here." – student "The school could be no better; it's great as it is." – student

Welcome to Woodlands School

As Headteacher, I am incredibly proud to lead a vibrant and nurturing school community where every pupil is supported to thrive. At Woodlands, we are proud to be part of the Unity Multi Academy Trust, working together with our partner schools to share best practice and continually improve the experience for all our pupils and families.

Our school is guided by the values of Respect, Integrity and Collaboration. We believe that by upholding these values in everything we do, we create a positive, inclusive environment where everyone can succeed. Our ethos – Ready, Respectful and Safe – is at the heart of our daily life at Woodlands. We encourage all members of our community to be ready to learn, to show respect for themselves and others, and to stay safe both in and out of school. These principles help us to build strong, trusting relationships and a culture of mutual support.

As a broad-spectrum specialist provision, we are committed to meeting the diverse needs of our pupils, providing tailored support and personalised learning opportunities so that every child can achieve their full potential. Our dedicated staff work in partnership with families and external professionals to ensure the best possible outcomes for our pupils.

Thank you for visiting our website. Please explore further to find out more about our school, our values, and the exciting opportunities we offer.

Warm regards,
Mel Keating
Headteacher

NEWS and EVENTS

A Wonderful End to the School Year 🎭🍿

Our Post-16 students rounded off the school year with a brilliant performance of The Greatest Showman.

The audience enjoyed a morning of singing, acting and plenty of smiles as the students took to the stage with confidence. A special mention goes to those who stepped into roles at the last minute, with little or no rehearsal time. They did an incredible job, and you would never have known they hadn't been part of the production from the start.

The singing throughout the performance was fantastic, and the support from the audience created a lovely atmosphere in the hall. It was wonderful to see everyone encouraging the performers and celebrating their achievements.

The production reflected the hard work and commitment of both the students and staff, and it was clear just how proud the teachers were, they couldn't stop smiling as they watched the performance unfold.

A huge well done to everyone involved. It was a fantastic way to end the term and a performance that everyone involved can be proud of.

Photos of the performance including main cast portraits can be found on our post-16 pages, or by clicking the link here: 📸

A Familiar Face Returns to Celebrate Citizenship 🏅

We were delighted to welcome Rachel Taylor back to Woodlands School as she returned to present our latest Character Awards, recognising pupils who have demonstrated outstanding Citizenship.

Following her visit earlier this year, it was wonderful to welcome Rachel back to celebrate another group of deserving students. During the presentation, she congratulated each award winner as they received their medal in front of their peers, recognising the kindness, responsibility and positive contribution they make to our school community.

We are incredibly proud of all of our Citizenship award winners and would like to thank Rachel for once again taking the time to visit Woodlands and help us celebrate the achievements of our young people.

This student really stands out to us, demonstrating what it means to be a good citizen, both within our school and out in the wider community. He goes above and beyond to support those around him; you’ll often find him helping his peers while he’s managing his own work. He’s naturally empathetic, always checking in on how others are doing and making sure they feel supported. Beyond his daily contributions here, he is already making a positive impact in the community. He is a credit to us all, and his supportive nature makes him a fantastic citizen.

This young person is always enthusiastic and bursting with ideas to share with staff and peers for raising money or for projects in school. He greets his friends cheerfully every morning, asking how they are and genuinely being interested in their responses. He makes sure to include everyone in his group work and activities and give everyone a voice. He has shown great motivation when working with his D of E group to make our school library is a better place for everyone in school. He is a great citizen at Woodlands school and should be very proud of the contribution he makes.

iRock Concert Hits the Right Note 🤘

Our students put on a fantastic performance at our iRock concert on Thursday 30th July, showcasing the skills and confidence they have developed through their music lessons.

Over recent months, they have worked incredibly hard to learn their instruments, rehearse together and prepare for the concert. It was wonderful to see them take to the stage to perform on the drums, guitar, keyboard and vocals, with each student playing their part in front of an enthusiastic audience.

Students demonstrated not only their musical talents but also their confidence and teamwork. It was a pleasure to watch them perform and celebrate everything they have achieved.

Well done to everyone who took part, and thank you to the staff, families and supporters who helped make the concert such an enjoyable occasion.

Woodlands School Award Winners Spring 2026 | CARING

We were delighted to celebrate four of our young people who received the Caring Award this week 🏅

Each of them has consistently shown kindness, thoughtfulness, and genuine care for others across the school day. They have truly excelled in this area, and we are incredibly proud of them.

The awards were presented during assembly by our visiting MP, Rachel Taylor, where all four pupils confidently came up to receive their medals in front of their peers.

They were then invited to spend a little more time with her afterwards, where they had the chance to chat and enjoy a well-earned photo together to mark a very well-deserved achievement.

So without further ado.... the Woodlands School Character Award Winners Spring 2026 (CARING) were:

Friday 17th April 2026 | A very special assembly....⭐🏅

We were delighted to welcome our local MP, Rachel Taylor, to school on Friday for a very special visit.

The morning began with an assembly where she spoke to our pupils about her role as an MP, explaining how she represents our community and the ways she works to support people locally. She shared this in a clear and engaging way, helping pupils to understand how her work links to their everyday lives.

It was particularly meaningful as our pupils have recently been learning about 'Protests and Boycotts' in school. Hearing Rachel’s thoughts on how people can share their views and make a difference in positive ways helped bring this learning to life.

We were so proud of how our pupils took part in the assembly, with many keen to contribute and share their ideas. It was lovely to see their confidence and enthusiasm.

As part of the visit, Rachel Taylor kindly presented pupils with 'Character' medals in recognition of students who have been 'CARING'. We enjoyed celebrating the kindness and empathy our students have demonstrated which are such an important part of our school community. We introduced our new key character trait for this half term, which is 'CITIZENSHIP'. You never know Rachel might return to Woodlands school to present the CITIZENSHIP award at the end of the half term...watch this space!

Following the assembly, a small group of our older students took part in a Q&A session. They approached this with confidence and curiosity. There was plenty of agreement and great conversation about the SEND, The online safety Act, HS2 and potholes! The only real disagreement seemed to come down to which football teams everyone supports!

We are very grateful to Rachel Taylor for taking the time out of her busy work week to visit us and for creating such a positive and memorable experience for our pupils. It was a lovely morning for everyone involved.

We will be having a themed lunch on 23^rd April to celebrate ST George’s Day! Please see the details in the menu here:

Out on the Farm! 🚜

Bluebell class were fortunate enough to be able to take a tractor ride around Southfields Farm at the end of last term - we were shown where all the animals live, Farmer Richard explained what the tractors were doing around the farm, and we were identifying the different forms of cloud on what was a very cloudy but enjoyable day!

UP THE VILLA!

We were lucky enough to have more tickets gifted and it was another fantastic evening for some of our young learners. Have a look at the feedback and a few pics below!

"Aidan loved it and thank you for giving him the opportunity, even if we are all blues fans!!! (Apart from Aidan) ;) .... he went with his Uncle, he went to the shops before the game and bought some villa merch with his own pocket money." ~ "He loved it, got there early to soak in the atmosphere. He loved the fireworks too." ~ "He absolutely loved it, it was the first football match he watched live and he loved it. Thank you so much” ~ “He loves it down there, really good atmosphere, joined in with the crowd” ~ “We had a fantastic time; fantastic opportunity and we are so grateful for the tickets” ~ “He really loved it, soaked in the atmosphere, got there early” ~

Future First Mother’s Day Enterprise 💛

A huge well done to Future First for their Mother’s Day enterprise! The team worked hard making and selling daffodils to staff and students across the school.

The project was a great success, with all proceeds going towards raising money for their school prom. Fantastic work by everyone involved!

Expressive Arts Exhibition & Easter Celebrations 🐰

We are delighted to invite you to our Expressive Arts Exhibition on Friday, 27th March, from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm at Woodlands School.

This half term, our students have been exploring the question: “Why do we need to protect nature?” They have worked incredibly hard to answer this through Art, Drama, and Music, and they are so excited to share their creations with you.

In addition to the exhibition, there will be:
* The School Egg Competition: We need you to be the judges!
* EYFS Easter Bonnet Parade: A showcase of our youngest learners' creativity.
* Coffee, Cake, and Raffle: Hosted by our Future First (Post-16) students.

Please confirm your attendance by emailing the admin team on – admin7047@we-learn365.com or call the school office on 01675463590.

We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating our students' hard work together.

Out and About 🚜

Farmer Richard was kind enough to show Bluebell class around Southfields Farm today. We met some fluffy, some noisy, and some very muddy animals as well as some new arrivals! 🐣 Thank you as always!

British Science Week 🧪🥼🔭 (6th – 15th March):

This year we are exploring the theme of "Curiosity - What's your question?"

All classes will be answering big science questions through fun experiments and research. Keep an eye out- photos to follow!

Get involved at home!

Why not explore some big questions together?

Why is the sky blue?
Why is the Earth round?
How do birds stay in the air?

WORLD BOOK DAY 📖 Thursday 5th March 2026

What a fantastic day we had at school! The corridors were full of colour, creativity and big smiles as both students and staff arrived in their World Book Day outfits. It was wonderful to see so many of us getting involved.

There was such a lovely feeling around the school all day, with lots of laughter, excitement and great energy from everyone.

A huge well done to everyone who took part. The outfits were brilliant and the effort was incredible! Days like this are a lovely way for our school community to come together, celebrate, and make some fantastic memories.... picture highlights below!

Aston Villa Foundation have teamed up with

The Children's Book Project to run a book drive

over the period of World Book Day!

A Midsummer Nights Dream ✨ by William Shakespeare

In the first Spring half term of 2026, KS4 were asked to study A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare.

The story is set around the event of the upcoming wedding of the Duke of Athens and two couples of young Athenians with their own romantic difficulties. Add to the mix a band of poor Athenians who intend to put on their own play for the Duke, and the King and Queen of the fairies who are not happy with one another at all, and you have the makings of a very funny, if at times quite complicated, story.

We are incredibly proud of all the learners in KS4 who took on the challenge to stage this play with their characteristic tenacity and diligence. Every member of the three classes took on a role, whether that be a speaking part, designing and making props, set and costumes, or as part of our technical crew supporting with music, sound effects and set changes.

If you were lucky enough to have been part of the audience of just over one hundred guests, I'm sure you will agree that this was an incredibly magical experience, one which our learners will remember forever.

Look out for these inspired thespians' next performance. Nothing is beyond them now.

Premier League floodlit Fixture on Wednesday 11th February 2026. UTV!

The Aston Villa Foundation https://www.avfc.co.uk/foundation/ generously gifted Woodland’s students, families and staff with 20 tickets for Premier League floodlit Fixture on Wednesday 11th February 2026 of Aston Villa vs Brighton.

Aston Villa won 1-0 and took the 3 points. Photos of our community enjoying the game to follow shortly. UTV!