The Willows School, Rotherham
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 10 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
The Willows School excels at creating a warm, inclusive environment where all pupils feel valued and secure. Staff provide exceptional support for behaviour and emotional regulation, helping pupils develop resilience and confidence. The school goes beyond academics to prepare young people for adulthood through practical skills, community involvement, and carefully planned work experience that matches their interests and aspirations.
Key Strengths
- Excellent attendance rates, well above national average, supported by high expectations and strong family relationships
- Exceptional behaviour and emotional regulation support, with rare incidents of poor behaviour or bullying
- Comprehensive personal development programme including outdoor education, horticulture, carpentry, broadcasting and community volunteering
- Highly effective safeguarding culture where concerns are actively identified and managed
- Strong post-16 provision with well-designed accommodation and effective preparation for independent living
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum content has not adapted quickly enough to meet the changing needs of some younger pupils joining the school
- Approaches to identifying gaps in knowledge are variable across some subjects
- Writing progress is slower than in reading and mathematics, with curriculum development still in early stages
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met. The school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Outdoor education, horticulture, carpentry, bricklaying, school radio station broadcasting, street dance, art, sports, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, residential experiences, community volunteering, work experience placements, mentoring younger pupils
The Willows School is an inclusive special educational needs school that has created a nurturing environment where pupils thrive, with particularly strong attendance and behaviour standards. Leaders have established a warm, welcoming culture focused on pupils' personal development and preparing them for adulthood.
At a Glance
57.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLCN - Speech, language and Communication, MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 0%. Maths has remained stable at around 0%. Writing has remained stable at around 0%.
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
131%
Over capacity
197 pupils
150 capacity
47 places over capacity
Area Demand Pressure - Rotherham
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Rotherham
Admissions Demand - Rotherham
Places available
3,677
Applications
2,919
Got 1st preference
91.0%
Got preferred school
96.7%
Secondary admissions across Rotherham (2025/26)
Inspection History(2)
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.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.67906%
Overall absence
11.11111%
Persistent absence
162
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Willows School
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