Northwood Primary School
Cowes, PO31 8PU · Isle of Wight · primary school
Check the area around this school
23rd of 35 primary schools in Isle of Wight we can score, 36 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 4,035 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 0.8/10 among them, against 1.6/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 50.0 · 19 | 40% | 0.76 |
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.82 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 0.0 · 10 | 25% | 0.26 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Northwood Primary School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 50.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. 0.0% reached the higher standard, against a national median of 7%. Ofsted rated the school Good in March 2024. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 0.8 out of 10 among them, against 1.6 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 178 pupils against a stated capacity of 210. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to bridge the gap between the expected and higher standards? What specific strategies are used to improve attainment in maths? How does the school maintain its Good Ofsted rating while addressing the lower performance compared to similar-intake schools?
What Ofsted said about Northwood Primary School
Overview
Northwood Primary School is judged as ‘Good’ across all inspection categories, including the quality of education and leadership. The report highlights a school where pupils are ‘proud to be part of this school’ and benefit from a ‘clear and precisely designed curriculum’ that has improved since the previous inspection. Leaders have successfully embedded an ‘effective and well-delivered phonics programme’, ensuring pupils are in a ‘strong position’ for secondary school.
Strengths
- The curriculum is ‘precisely designed’, enabling pupils to ‘build their knowledge over time’ and achieve more across subjects.
- An ‘effective and well-delivered phonics programme’ is firmly embedded, with staff using training effectively to support early reading.
- Pupils display ‘calm and orderly’ behaviour and are described as ‘kind and enthusiastic’, fostering a strong sense of belonging.
- Governors are a ‘consistent strength’, providing effective support for improvements and ensuring robust financial and safeguarding duties.
- Personal development is enhanced through a ‘wide variety of activities’, including bespoke clubs and ‘effective outdoor learning’.
Areas to improve
- In some subjects, checks on pupil retention are not as effective; the school should ‘check how well pupils have learned the key knowledge across the curriculum’ to better adapt training and curriculum.
Safeguarding
The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 55% |
| 2023/24 | 21% |
| 2024/25 | 50% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
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