Willoughton Primary School

Willoughton Primary School has maintained its status as a good school, demonstrating a positive school culture where pupils enjoy attending and feel safe. The school has successfully fostered a sense of community, with pupils exhibiting polite and respectful behavior. The curriculum, particularly in early reading and mathematics, shows significant strengths, although some subjects lack clarity in what pupils are required to learn, leading to minor gaps in knowledge. As this is the school's first ungraded inspection since its previous good rating in September 2018, there have also been leadership changes and a recent federation with another school, providing additional support and shared governance.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy a strong sense of community and pride in their school.
• Early years provision has improved significantly.
• Strong phonics and early reading instruction, leading to good attainment.
• Teachers effectively check pupils' knowledge in mathematics.
• High expectations of behavior result in a courteous and respectful environment.
• The school provides good support for pupils with SEND.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum lacks clarity in some subjects, including art and design, leading to potential gaps in knowledge.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Willoughton Primary School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 2.3% of pupils at Willoughton Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Willoughton Primary School had 7.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 25.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 21.4% of pupils at Willoughton Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Willoughton Primary School received £12,945 and spent £12,549 for each of its 42 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £156,000 (£3,711 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Gainsborough · Lincolnshire local authority: places and applications

What is Willoughton Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Willoughton Primary School is Good, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was Willoughton Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Willoughton Primary School was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Willoughton Primary School have?

Willoughton Primary School has 42 pupils on roll.

What age range does Willoughton Primary School cover?

Willoughton Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Willoughton Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Willoughton Primary School?

Willoughton Primary School is at Northfield Lane, Willoughton, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 5RT.