Willow Bank Primary School

Willow Bank Primary School demonstrates a strong performance overall, showing consistent progress in pupil achievement despite some challenges faced, particularly among those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has implemented effective strategies to support pupils in bridging gaps in their knowledge, leading to improvements in key areas like writing and grammar. Leadership is ambitious, focusing on fostering a positive learning environment and ensuring that all pupils feel secure and supported. The school has developed a solid culture of safeguarding and community involvement, which enhances the overall school experience. Notable strengths include high attendance rates, a calm and purposeful atmosphere, and a well-sequenced curriculum. While many pupils achieve well relative to national standards, the report notes that additional focus is needed to ensure that all students, especially those with SEND, consistently meet expected academic standards. Overall, the school's inclusive ethos and proactive measures show a commitment to continuous improvement in learning outcomes.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well and make secure progress from their starting points.
• Strong focus on safeguarding, creating a safe and open environment.
• Well-sequenced curriculum that builds knowledge and skills effectively.
• Leadership demonstrates ambition and a clear understanding of school priorities.
• High levels of attendance and punctuality supported by extensive promotion efforts.
• Teachers provide tailored support for pupils with SEND, enhancing their learning.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils, including those with SEND, do not meet the expected standard in national tests.
• Writing and transcription skills require further development.

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 Willow Bank Primary School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.1% 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, 2.9% of pupils at Willow Bank Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were 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 Willow Bank Primary School had 14.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.8% 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, 17.6% of pupils at Willow Bank Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.0% 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 2024–25 Willow Bank Primary School received £10,257 and spent £10,181 for each of its 211 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £100,000 (£474 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of The Woodland Academy Trust, income was £8,134 and spending £8,472 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bexley · Bexley local authority: places and applications

Willow Bank Primary School is part of The Woodland Academy Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Lime Wood Primary School Erith
• Northumberland Heath Primary School Erith
• Peareswood Primary School Erith
• Knockhall Primary School Greenhithe

What is Willow Bank Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Willow Bank Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Willow Bank Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Willow Bank Primary School was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Willow Bank Primary School have?

Willow Bank Primary School has 182 pupils on roll.

What age range does Willow Bank Primary School cover?

Willow Bank Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 58% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Willow Bank Primary School?

Willow Bank Primary School is at Seacourt Road, Thamesmead, London, SE2 9XB.