Ofsted: Good

Willow Bank School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMs Anne Kyle

location_onNewton-le-Willows, WA12 8DE

language Visit Website phone 1744678745

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2016

groups

Students

trending_up

Attainment 8

4.8

leaderboard

GCSE Rank

#12 in St. Helens

#4,280 of 4,663 nationally

summarize

Willow Bank School is a Community special school school in Newton-le-Willows, serving ages 8-16. Rated Good by Ofsted.

article

School Summary

Willow Bank School is a community special school in Newton-le-Willows, St. Helens, admitting pupils aged 8-16. The school has approximately 71 pupils on roll, of whom 70% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 4.8, placing the school #12 in St. Helens and #4,280 of 4,663 nationally. 0.00% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2016. The school's current overall rating is Good.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 5.3:1. There is 1 teaching vacancy.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 65.5 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

4.8

Grade 5+ E&M

0.00%

Entering EBacc0.00%

EBacc APS0.32

2024

Progress 8 Score

-2.01

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

7.6

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0.00%

EBacc APS0.59

2023

Progress 8 Score

-2.28

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

7.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0.58

2022

Progress 8 Score

-2.25

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0.72

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-2.6

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

8.3

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0.6

2018

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

explore

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

55%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)55%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)9%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

67%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)67%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)33%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

53%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)27%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment27%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)40%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

75%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)63%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment13%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)25%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

50%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)38%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment13%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)50%

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 60%

Reading0% LA 73%

Writing0% LA 73%

Maths0% LA 71%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 60%England 61%

Reading-% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing-% LA 73% · Eng 72%

Maths-% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 61%England 60%

Reading50% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Writing17% LA 72% · Eng 71%

Maths0% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.8

Read

LA 0.3

-4.3 to 5.8

-4.9

Write

LA 0.3

-9.8 to -0.1

-9.5

Maths

LA 0.0

-14.3 to -4.8

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 65%England 65%

Reading33% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Writing0% LA 79% · Eng 78%

Maths0% LA 77% · Eng 79%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-9.3

Read

LA 0.0

-14.3 to -4.4

-14.9

Write

LA 0.1

-19.5 to -10.4

Maths

LA 0.1

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 62%

Reading-% LA 73%

Writing-% LA 78%

Maths-% LA 74%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

LA -0.4

Write

LA 0.0

Maths

LA -0.6

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

26 April 2022

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

25 February 2016

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

22 November 2013

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

02 October 2013

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

29 September 2010

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

30 April 2008

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

14 June 2004

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

Inspection Report

Inspection History

2 Evaluations

2016-02-25

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2013-10-02

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

76.1%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

39.4%(28 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 71 pupils. During this period, there were 54 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 76.1%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	71	54	76.1%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	71	39	54.9%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	64	39	60.9%	7.4%	1
2023/24 (Spring term)	62	51	82.3%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	61	44	72.1%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	62	34	54.8%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	60	23	38.3%	6.4%	1
2022/23 (Autumn term)	57	55	96.5%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	53	31	58.5%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	53	24	45.3%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	51	37	72.5%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	52	9	17.3%	3.6%	1
2020/21 (Spring term)	49	6	12.2%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	47	19	40.4%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	54	1	1.9%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	54	17	31.5%	3.2%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	49	26	53.1%	4.2%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	54	18	33.3%	3.1%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	52	33	63.5%	3.8%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	52	60	115.4%	3.8%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	47	26	55.3%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	51	29	56.9%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	53	21	39.6%	3.7%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	53	22	41.5%	3.0%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	55	22	40.0%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	50	31	62.0%	3.1%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

accessibility_new

psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 71 pupils

Willow Bank School

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Funding & Staffing

Staffing

Teacher Turnover