Willow School, Sleaford
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Willow School excels at helping pupils who have missed significant schooling to re-engage with learning in a calm, caring environment. The school's greatest strength is its focus on emotional well-being and building independence through daily life skills teaching and celebration of small progress. Staff provide highly individualized support, helping pupils overcome anxieties and develop positive relationships with peers.
Key Strengths
- Strong relationships and pastoral support help pupils feel safe and re-engage with education
- Significant improvements in pupil behaviour and attendance through clear behaviour curriculum and emotional regulation strategies
- Comprehensive personal development programme including life skills, self-care, and meaningful careers exploration in the local community
- Individualized support for pupils' emotional needs and anxieties, with staff working together to identify and meet each pupil's requirements
- High-quality accommodation and resources in a nurturing environment
Areas for Improvement
- Insufficient opportunities for pupils to rehearse reading and writing skills, limiting their independence and ability to overcome negative attitudes towards literacy
- Inconsistent curriculum implementation across subjects, causing varied pupil progress and slower learning
- Need for staff to deliver curriculum more consistently in each subject and check pupils' long-term recall of important knowledge
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with strong leadership commitment and clear procedures to keep pupils safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Careers exploration, local business visits, emergency services visits, soothe your senses assemblies, phonics practice, sensory activities
Willow School is a special school for pupils aged 7-14 with communication, interaction, cognition and learning needs. Most pupils arrive after prolonged periods out of school, and the school makes a positive difference by building strong relationships and creating a calm, caring environment where each child is seen as an individual.
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
Commute Calculator
Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply
What are my chances?
Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
38%
Available places
20 pupils
52 capacity
32 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Sleaford
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Sleaford
Admissions Demand - Lincolnshire
Places available
9,207
Applications
7,938
Got 1st preference
86.0%
Got preferred school
96.2%
Secondary admissions across Lincolnshire (2025/26)
House Prices
Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost
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.
Reviews
No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.
Nearby Schools
Do you work at this school?
Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.