Willows High School, Cardiff

Willows High School is an English-medium school in Wales. Welsh schools are inspected by Estyn rather than Ofsted, and its latest report is published on Estyn's website.

It had 760 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

50% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 8% have additional learning needs (20% in 2020/21); 10% are learning English as an additional language; and 57% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 122 pupils (Year 7) to 169 (Year 11).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £6,871 per pupil, against £5,570 in 2021-22. It carried forward £737k of reserves at the end of 2024-25.

Estyn's report on its November 2024 inspection summarises Willows High School like this:

"Willows High School is a welcoming community where diversity is celebrated. Leaders have secured a clear and well understood vision that all pupils should ‘belong, believe and achieve’. The positive relationships between pupils and staff are a notable feature of the school. Through well-established routines, staff share high expectations for pupils’ engagement and behaviour and this positive ethos permeates every aspect of school life. Staff, pupils, parents and visitors feel welcome at Willows."

"There is a positive safeguarding culture where most pupils feel safe. Clear processes for monitoring and supporting pupils’ attendance have helped to improve rates of attendance faster than they did nationally last year and these rates, particularly for pupils who are eligible for free school meals, continue to improve well. A notable feature of the school’s broad and balanced curriculum is the way in which they develop pupils’ understanding of diversity and other cultures. There is a positive focus on improving pupils’ reading and generally pupils develop these skills well across the curriculum. In many lessons, teachers help pupils to make sound progress in their knowledge understanding and skills."

"In a few lessons, highly effective teaching enables pupils to make rapid progress in their learning and skills. In a minority of lessons, whilst pupils engage in learning and often acquire new knowledge, teachers do not ensure that all pupils are challenged to develop their understanding and skills, including their ability to work independently. In addition, pupils do not develop their Welsh speaking skill sufficiently. Leaders at all levels use their evaluation and improvement processes appropriately to establish an understanding of the school’s broad strengths and areas for improvement. However, leaders do not focus precisely enough on the impact that provision has on pupil progress and well-being."

Estyn made 3 recommendations: (1) Ensure that teaching consistently challenges pupils to make strong progress and develop their skills well; (2) Ensure that self-evaluation processes are precise and focus on impact and that all leaders use these processes effectively to plan for and secure improvement; (3) Increase the number of pupils who complete a Welsh language GCSE qualification and improve pupils’ Welsh language speaking skills.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Willows High School are Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern (1.7 miles), St Teilo's C.I.W. High School (2 miles), Eastern High (2.3 miles) and St Illtyds R.C. High School (2.5 miles).

The nearest railway station is Cardiff Queen Street Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mercia Road (o/s 11), 190 metres away.