Willoughby Academy, Bourne
Willoughby Academy is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Bourne, part of The Priory Federation of Academies. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Willoughby Academy in detail
Willoughby Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Willoughby Academy subscribes to the Priory Federation of Academies Trust's overarching Ethos structure that sets out its expectations for pupils, staff and the organisation. The Trust's and Academy's Mission is ambitious for every pupil: to improve life chances and so create true citizens of the world . It forms the basis on which decisions across the Academy are made."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Willoughby, a specialist Academy, for pupils aged 2 to 19 years with a diverse range of highly complex Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We are situated in Bourne, South Lincolnshire and are lucky to be within easy access of our local community, with whom we are proud to have many links."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
The trust
Willoughby Academy is one of 14 schools run by The Priory Federation of Academies, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 8 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 13% to a further education college.
Who goes there
40.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Willoughby Academy has an education, health and care plan (143 of 143 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Willoughby Academy provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Willoughby Academy.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Grammar School Grounds (in), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Willoughby Academy stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 143 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lincolnshire (33), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Willoughby Academy issued 15 suspensions, 10.4 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from October 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2012 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
40.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2023/24KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2023/24 academic year
Latest from Willoughby Academy
End of Term Newsletter - 17.07.26.PDF File End of Term Newsletter - 17.07.26.PDF File
17 Jul 2026
End of Term Newsletter - 22.05.26.PDF File End of Term Newsletter - 22.05.26.PDF File
22 May 2026
End of Term Newsletter - 02.04.26.PDF File End of Term Newsletter - 02.04.26.PDF File
2 Apr 2026
End of Term Newsletter - 13.02.26.PDF File End of Term Newsletter - 13.02.26.PDF File
13 Feb 2026
End of Term Newsletter - 19.12.25.PDF File End of Term Newsletter - 19.12.25.PDF File
19 Dec 2025
End of Term Newsletter 24.10.25.PDF File End of Term Newsletter 24.10.25.PDF File
24 Oct 2025
From Willoughby Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Willoughby Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Willoughby Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Willoughby Academy is in Lincolnshire; for families living there:
Apply to Lincolnshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 5 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Lincolnshire is 6 (the median across 401 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
143 pupils
148 places
5 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bourne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bourne
Across Lincolnshire council
Places available
9,247
Applications
7,828
Got 1st preference
84.7%
Got preferred school
96.4%
All secondary applications across Lincolnshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
143
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Willoughby Academy provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
143
Total Pupils
96
Boys
47
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
7.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,810
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.2%
Overall absence
18.0%
Persistent absence
122
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Willoughby Academy
What are SATs results like at Willoughby Academy?
Of the pupils at Willoughby Academy who took the 2024 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Willoughby Academy's Ofsted rating?
Willoughby Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Willoughby Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Willoughby Academy is oversubscribed, Lincolnshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Willoughby Academy?
Willoughby Academy has around 143 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Willoughby Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Willoughby Academy provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Willoughby Academy?
6.2% of sessions were missed at Willoughby Academy in 2024/25. 18% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Willoughby Academy?
Apply through Lincolnshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Willoughby Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Willoughby Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 5 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Lincolnshire is 6 (the median across 401 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Willoughby Academy?
Willoughby Academy is at South Road, Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 9JD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)