Elizabeth Woodville School Review 2026: Two-campus comprehensive with improving inspection outcomes

A large, mixed comprehensive serving rural villages between Northampton and Milton Keynes, this school runs across two sites, Roade and Deanshanger, while operating as one academy within Tove Learning Trust. The most recent Ofsted inspection (March 2025) judged quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management as Good, with sixth form provision judged Requires Improvement.

Academic outcomes sit in the middle tier nationally on the FindMySchool GCSE ranking (top half but not top quartile), while the sixth form outcomes are weaker than England averages. The school’s own documentation and inspection findings point to a clear improvement journey, particularly in curriculum design and classroom routines, with sixth form consistency now the main priority.

This is a school built around breadth and accessibility rather than selectivity. It describes itself as inclusive and comprehensive, drawing students from a wide spread of feeder primaries and rural communities. The two-site structure shapes daily life, including different local identities around Roade and Deanshanger, and a practical emphasis on pastoral systems so that students are known individually.

Leadership is structured with heads of school for each site, Emma Reed (Roade) and Hannah Jones (Deanshanger). That model matters for parents because it affects communication and logistics, particularly if siblings attend different sites or if a child takes courses shared across locations post-16.

A notable feature in the school’s public information is the current consultation to de-amalgamate into two separate secondary schools from September 2026, while staying within the same trust. If implemented, this would likely change how families experience governance, day-to-day organisation, and site identity, even if some shared services remain.

At GCSE, the school’s results sit close to the broad England midpoint. The average Attainment 8 score is 47.2, and Progress 8 is -0.02, which indicates progress broadly in line with national expectations from students’ starting points.

Ranked 1,614th in England and 7th in Milton Keynes for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The EBacc picture is mixed. The average EBacc APS is 4.16, slightly above the England figure (4.08). The proportion achieving grade 5 or above across EBacc subjects is 21.5, which suggests a smaller cohort reaching that threshold across the full EBacc suite, even as curriculum intent appears to be strengthening.

For post-16 results the proportions of A-level grades are below the England averages provided. A* to B is 22.45% compared with an England benchmark of 47.2%. This is consistent with the latest inspection judgement for sixth form provision, and it frames sixth form outcomes as the central performance challenge compared with the improving picture in key stages 3 and 4.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view GCSE outcomes and progress measures side-by-side, which is particularly helpful when choosing between multiple comprehensives across the Northampton and Milton Keynes fringe.

The most recent inspection evidence describes a redesigned curriculum that clearly identifies essential knowledge and sequences it so students build understanding over time. In practice, that usually shows up in more consistent lesson structure, clearer retrieval of prior learning, and tighter alignment between what is taught and what is assessed.

Reading is positioned as a priority, with targeted support for students who struggle, and sixth form students acting as reading mentors for younger pupils. That matters for families because secondary success increasingly depends on literacy across every subject, not only in English.

Where the implementation is still uneven is in the school-wide embedding of routines that check understanding and correct misconceptions. The inspection evidence suggests that these routines are not yet consistent in every classroom. For parents, the practical implication is that teaching quality should feel stronger and more predictable than it did in the Requires Improvement era, but may still vary by subject and year group.

Sixth form teaching has improved, but the inspection narrative is clear that outcomes are not yet where they should be, partly due to course and staffing instability and insufficient teaching time in some areas. If you are considering sixth form entry, this is a key area to probe during visits and information evenings.

The school does not publish a verified Russell Group or Oxbridge destination count in its main public materials, so the most reliable quantitative picture comes from the dataset’s destination measures.

For the 2023/24 leavers cohort, 44% progressed to university, 10% started apprenticeships, and 33% entered employment.

Alongside that broad picture, the school’s post-16 guidance materials reference students securing places across a wide spread of universities and subjects, and apprenticeships with organisations such as Grant Thornton and National Rail. This points to a destinations approach that supports multiple pathways rather than a single high-tariff pipeline, which often suits students who want both academic and applied options.

This is a state-funded school with no tuition fees. Admission to Year 7 is coordinated through West Northamptonshire Council rather than directly through the school. For September 2026 entry, the council timeline shows applications opening from 10 September 2025, with the on-time deadline on 31 October 2025, and offers made on 2 March 2026.

The school is described as oversubscribed on the dataset’s entry-route demand indicator, with 266 applications for 222 offers on the recorded route, implying around 1.2 applications per place. This is competitive but not extreme. In practical terms, it suggests many families can list it with a realistic prospect of an offer, but distance and oversubscription rules still matter.

For post-16, sixth form entry is by application with academic entry requirements and, where external applications exceed available places, an oversubscription process applies. The published admissions arrangements set out a sixth form capacity and explain that internal Year 11 students are entitled to transfer if they meet the entry standard, with external places allocated by oversubscription criteria if needed. For Deanshanger campus sixth form entry in September 2026, the school’s sixth form application page states an application closing date of 9 January 2026.

Open evenings for Year 6 families are typically scheduled in October. The school’s published 2025 dates were 9 October (Roade) and 16 October (Deanshanger), with tours and talks advertised on both evenings. Dates can change year to year, so families should rely on the school website for the current booking process.

Parents who are distance-sensitive should use FindMySchoolMap Search to check their precise distance to the relevant site, then compare that with last-offer patterns where available, as proximity often becomes the deciding factor when year groups are tight.

External evidence describes a calm, orderly culture with polite and respectful relationships, and strong pastoral support, including personalised support for mental health needs delivered by specialist staff. For families, the key question is how that support is accessed in practice, for example through heads of year, safeguarding teams, and any in-school mentoring or targeted provision.

Behaviour expectations appear to have tightened. The inspection evidence states that suspensions were previously high but have begun to fall as expectations have been raised, and disruption is now described as rare. That is a meaningful directional indicator for parents who worry about learning being derailed by low-level disruption.

Safeguarding is reported as effective, which is a foundational reassurance and particularly important in large schools spanning wide rural catchments.

The enrichment offer is broader than the generic “sports and clubs” claim suggests, and several activities are named in school materials and timetables.

One clear strength is structured, scheduled enrichment across the week, including before-school provision and after-school sessions. The published extracurricular timetable includes Breakfast Club, Homework Club, Geography Club, Russian Language Club, a Scalextrics for Schools car club, Music Tech Club, drama provision, and a School Vocal Ensemble. For students, the implication is that enrichment is not only for the most confident joiners, it is built into the routine with accessible options that support both study habits and social connection.

The school also highlights competitive and challenge-based activities. The 2025 inspection report references participation in the annual Faraday Challenge, which is a practical STEM competition, and leadership opportunities through a student council led by sixth formers. This matters because it signals a deliberate attempt to offer structured leadership and applied learning experiences alongside exam preparation.

Sport and facilities are strongly shaped by the Willison Sports Centre, which operates as part of the wider school community and includes a heated 25m indoor pool at the Roade campus. For students who are motivated by sport, this can be a significant advantage, especially when combined with after-school access and community use that normalises regular training.

The school prospectus also references experiences such as Duke of Edinburgh, World Challenge, skiing, and trips to European countries. As ever, availability can vary by year group and staffing, but the presence of these programmes suggests that enrichment extends beyond on-site clubs into longer-form experiences.

The school day runs from 8.40am to 3.10pm, with students expected on site by 8.35am for registration. For families needing early drop-off, Breakfast Club appears on published extracurricular schedules, which is useful for working parents, although the exact operation details should be confirmed directly with the school.

Travel is a central practical consideration given the rural intake. The school publishes transport guidance, including a Deanshanger campus minibus arrangement from Stony Stratford (limited seats), and it also explains that post-16 cross-site course travel is organised during the school day and funded by the school. For families, this reduces friction if a student takes a subject offered on the other site.

• Sixth form outcomes are the main weak point. The latest inspection judged sixth form provision Requires Improvement while the rest of the school was judged Good, and the dataset’s A-level outcomes are well below the England benchmarks provided.

• Two sites, and a potential structural change in 2026. The current two-campus model affects organisation and identity, and the trust’s published consultation proposes de-amalgamation into two separate schools from September 2026. Families should monitor confirmed decisions and how admissions and staffing would work in the new structure.

• Oversubscription exists, even if competition is not extreme. The dataset indicates oversubscription on the recorded route. For families outside the closest villages, the admissions criteria and transport arrangements will matter as much as preference order.

• Consistency across classrooms remains a work in progress. The inspection evidence points to strong curriculum design and improving routines, but also notes that checking understanding and correcting misconceptions are not yet embedded everywhere.

For families seeking a mainstream, mixed secondary with improving quality indicators, this school offers a clearer and more positive picture than its earlier inspection history suggests, particularly in key stages 3 and 4. The breadth of enrichment, named clubs, and strong sport facilities support students who need more than lessons alone to stay engaged. The key decision point is post-16, where outcomes and stability are still catching up.

Best suited to students who want a large-school experience with broad options and structured pastoral support, and to families who can engage proactively with admissions, transport, and any confirmed changes linked to the proposed 2026 de-amalgamation.