SCHOOL PROFILE

The Willows School

Not applicable Academy special converter URN 149642
Open
Pupils 8,834,192 Latest school census
Capacity 150 Published school capacity
Capacity used 131.3% Pupils as a share of capacity
Age range 7 – 19 Statutory age range
OFSTED

Latest inspection

25 November 2025
Latest published outcome Met
Renewed framework
Safeguarding Met
Inclusion Expected standard
Curriculum & teaching Needs attention
Achievement Expected standard
Attendance & behaviour Strong standard
Personal development Strong standard
Leadership & governance Expected standard
SCHOOL DETAILS

About this school

School type Academy special converter
Phase Not applicable
Gender Mixed
Religious character Does not apply
Local authority Rotherham
Trust NEXUS MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Census date 15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE

School community

Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.

2025/26
Total pupils 197 197 full-time · 0 part-time
Female pupils 70 35.5% of pupils
Male pupils 127 64.5% of pupils

Free school meals

Pupils eligible for free school meals.

54.8%
30.0 pts above England
School 54.8%
Rotherham 30.0%
Yorkshire and The Humber 27.7%
England 24.8%

English as an additional language

Pupils whose first language is not English.

5.6%
14.7 pts below England
School 5.6%
Rotherham 13.1%
Yorkshire and The Humber 17.9%
England 20.3%

Young carers

Pupils recorded as young carers.

0.0%
1.0 pts below England
School 0.0%
Rotherham 0.2%
Yorkshire and The Humber 0.4%
England 1.0%

Ethnicity

Largest recorded pupil groups.

White British
86.8%
171
Pakistani
3.6%
7
Gypsy / Roma
3.0%
6
White and Black Caribbean
2.0%
4
Any other Mixed background
1.5%
3
Any other White background
1.0%
2
Council, regional and national comparisons are pupil-weighted using published school census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS

Special educational needs

Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.

2025/26
Pupils with SEN 100.0% 197 of 197 pupils
79.2 pts above England England: 20.8%
School 100.0%
Rotherham 24.8%
Yorkshire and The Humber 20.9%
England 20.8%
SEN support 1.0% 2 pupils
England 14.8% 13.8 pts below
EHC plans 99.0% 195 pupils
England 6.0% 92.9 pts above
PRIMARY NEEDS

Most common identified needs

Pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder 56
Moderate learning difficulty 51
Speech, language & communication 35
Social, emotional & mental health 18
Specific learning difficulty 18
Other difficulty or disability 8

SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Key stage 2 outcomes

Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.

2024/25
EXPECTED STANDARD

Reading, writing & maths

0.0% 60.4 pts below England
School 0.0%
Rotherham 55.4%
Yorkshire and The Humber 60.2%
England 60.4%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Reading

0.0%

73.8 pts below England

School 0.0%
Rotherham 66.2%
Yorkshire and The Humber 72.8%
England 73.8%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Writing

0.0%

70.3 pts below England

School 0.0%
Rotherham 65.7%
Yorkshire and The Humber 70.2%
England 70.3%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Maths

0.0%

72.0 pts below England

School 0.0%
Rotherham 66.6%
Yorkshire and The Humber 71.9%
England 72.0%
School results show the percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard. Council, regional and national comparisons are averages of published school-level percentages and are not pupil-weighted official attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE

Attendance profile

Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.

2024/25
ABSENCE RATE

Overall absence

5.68%

Percentage of possible sessions missed.

0.54 pts lower than England
School 5.68%
Rotherham 6.52%
Yorkshire and The Humber 6.13%
England 6.22%
ABSENCE RATE

Persistent absence

11.11%

Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.

4.70 pts lower than England
School 11.11%
Rotherham 17.17%
Yorkshire and The Humber 15.55%
England 15.82%
ABSENCE RATE

Severe absence

1.23%

Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.

0.57 pts lower than England
School 1.23%
Rotherham 2.07%
Yorkshire and The Humber 1.77%
England 1.80%
Council, regional and national comparisons are averages of published school-level percentages rather than pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

School context

Comparison with open not applicable schools.

CAPACITY

Capacity utilisation

131.3% 51.6 pts above England
The Willows School
131.3%
Rotherham
107.8%
Yorkshire and The Humber
84.5%
England
79.8%
Benchmarks use open schools in the same phase. Capacity utilisation is calculated from published pupil and capacity figures.
Sources: Department for Education · Get Information about Schools · Ofsted monthly management information