The Academy of Woodlands is a mainstream primary school in Gillingham, Medway, for children aged 2 to 11. In January 2026, 185 of its 758 pupils (24.4%) were getting SEN support and 26 (3.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 2–11
- 758 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state primary schools across England and in Medway.
24.4% get SEN support
185 of 758 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Higher than the England average.
3.4% have an EHC plan
26 of 758 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Speech, language and communication103
- Social, emotional and mental health59
- Autism18
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia9
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream primary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 2 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 758 (places for 630)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Chloe Brown
- Part of
- Rivermead Inclusive Trust
- Free school meals
- 39.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Medway
- School reference (URN)
- 139493
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Medway council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, March 2025; school remains Good (December 2019)
Inspected in March 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, December 2019).
Contact and getting there
Woodlands Road, Gillingham, ME7 2DU
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- The Robert Napier School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 0.4 miles
- Danecourt School Special school · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.7 miles
- Alchemy School Independent · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.7 miles
- Chatham Grammar Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.0 mile
Other mainstream schools
Questions about The Academy of Woodlands
How many pupils at The Academy of Woodlands have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 185 of the 758 pupils (24.4%) were getting SEN support and 26 (3.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state primary schools it is 15.4% and 4.1%.
What are the most common needs at The Academy of Woodlands?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are speech, language and communication needs (103 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (59 pupils) and autism (18 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at The Academy of Woodlands?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at The Academy of Woodlands?
Through Medway council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to The Academy of Woodlands?
You can ask for The Academy of Woodlands to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does The Academy of Woodlands have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is The Robert Napier School, about 0.4 miles away.
Where is The Academy of Woodlands?
Woodlands Road, Gillingham, ME7 2DU, in Medway.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.