The Willows, Rishton
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
The Willows excels at helping pupils who have struggled with education get back on track. Staff build trusting relationships and create a caring environment where pupils flourish and want to attend. The school provides an ambitious curriculum with enriching trips and visitors that help pupils develop independence and broaden their understanding of the world.
Key Strengths
- Strong transition programme that helps pupils quickly settle and integrate into school routines
- Excellent reading support with targeted phonics instruction matched to pupils' needs
- High attendance and positive behaviour supported by trusting staff relationships
- Enriching activities including trips, visitors, and community service that broaden pupils' horizons
- Well-maintained facilities with bright, clean teaching spaces and safe outdoor areas
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not consistently use assessment information to plan appropriate next steps in learning
- Some activities do not support the intended learning, particularly in PSHE
- Limited opportunities for pupils to practise and consolidate understanding in some subjects
- Misconceptions sometimes not identified and addressed before moving to new learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with clear policies meeting current statutory requirements and a positive safeguarding culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Zoo visits, school kitchen cooking sessions, talks from local police officers, litter picking, reading with care home residents
The Willows is a good independent special school that has created a highly successful learning environment for pupils with SEND who have previously struggled with education. Pupils re-engage well with learning, achieve from their different starting points, and benefit from a caring, ambitious curriculum.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
57%
Available places
23 pupils
40 capacity
17 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Rishton
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Rishton
Admissions Demand - Lancashire
Places available
14,786
Applications
13,820
Got 1st preference
86.3%
Got preferred school
96.8%
Secondary admissions across Lancashire (2025/26)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Rishton Methodist Primary School
St Charles' Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Rishton St Peter and St Paul's Church of England Primary School
Great Harwood St John's Church of England Primary School
Clayton-le-Moors All Saints' Church of England Primary School
The Willows
Rishton Methodist Primary School
St Charles' Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Rishton St Peter and St Paul's Church of England Primary School
Great Harwood St John's Church of England Primary School
Clayton-le-Moors All Saints' Church of England Primary School
St Wulstan's Roman Catholic Primary School, Great Harwood
Great Harwood Primary School
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School
Clayton-le-Moors Mount Pleasant Primary School
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Church
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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