Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #32 in Bexley public Top 65% UK

Willow Bank Primary School

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

personMrs Abigail Oldfield

corporate_fareTHE WOODLAND ACADEMY TRUST

location_onLondon, SE2 9XB

language Visit Website phone 2083201900

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2023

groups

Students

287

school

Expected Standard

58%

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Demand Ratio

0.8x

summarize

Willow Bank Primary School is a Academy sponsor led primary school in London, serving ages 4-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 65% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Willow Bank Primary School is an academy sponsor led in London, Bexley, admitting pupils aged 4-11. It is part of THE WOODLAND ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 210 pupils on roll, of whom 63% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 58% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 9% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #32 of 55 primaries in Bexley and #6,050 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.8× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 15.8:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 2.4 per 1,000 pupils per term.

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

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

58%

LA 64%

Reading74% LA 75%

Writing63% LA 73%

Maths65% LA 72%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

61%

LA 64%England 61%

Reading64% LA 76% · Eng 74%

Writing70% LA 73% · Eng 72%

Maths66% LA 74% · Eng 73%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

50%

LA 63%England 60%

Reading64% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Writing68% LA 74% · Eng 71%

Maths66% LA 74% · Eng 73%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.0

Read

LA 0.1

-3.8 to -0.3

0.0

Write

LA 0.1

-1.8 to 1.7

-1.4

Maths

LA 0.2

-3.1 to 0.3

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

65%

LA 67%England 65%

Reading65% LA 74% · Eng 73%

Writing78% LA 80% · Eng 78%

Maths80% LA 78% · Eng 79%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.1

Read

LA -0.6

-3.8 to -0.4

0.0

Write

LA -0.2

-1.6 to 1.5

-1.4

Maths

LA -0.7

-2.9 to 0.1

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

72%

LA 67%

Reading76% LA 76%

Writing84% LA 80%

Maths76% LA 75%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

1.6

Read

LA -0.4

0 to 3.2

2.8

Write

LA -0.1

1.3 to 4.3

2.1

Maths

LA -0.4

0.6 to 3.6

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

25 April 2023

Inspection Report

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05 December 2017

Inspection Report

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31 January 2013

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2023-04-25

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2017-12-05

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2013-01-31

Academy First Section 5 Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

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

Suspension Rate

2.9%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.0%(2 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: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 210 pupils. During this period, there were 6 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 2.9%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	210	6	2.9%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	210	4	1.9%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	245	6	2.4%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	257	6	2.3%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	252	6	2.4%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	282	9	3.2%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	287	4	1.4%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	284	7	2.5%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	327	8	2.4%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	338	16	4.7%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	345	7	2.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	374	7	1.9%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	360	1	0.3%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	352	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	366	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	366	2	0.5%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	370	4	1.1%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	374	1	0.3%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	374	1	0.3%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	387	2	0.5%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	405	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	404	0	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	402	1	0.2%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	385	7	1.8%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	380	4	1.1%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	368	7	1.9%	0.5%

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

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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.

Speech, Language & Communication 39 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 24 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 1 pupils