The Willows School

The Willows School is a special school where all pupils have an education, health and care plan, catering for moderate learning difficulties and speech, language and communication needs. It has a friendly, inclusive and nurturing culture where pupils feel safe, behave well and attend eagerly; a calm atmosphere and strong relationships help pupils to learn and thrive. Attendance is above the national average and has been sustained over several years, and safeguarding requirements are met. Personal development and wellbeing are central to the school's work, with a wide range of enrichment, community and work-related experiences that prepare pupils well for adulthood. Leadership and governance are effective, post-16 provision is strong, and inclusion is well supported, with staff using EHC plans to shape learning and provide personalised support. The main area for improvement is the curriculum. The needs of some younger pupils joining the school have changed significantly in recent years, and curriculum content has not always adapted quickly enough to meet those needs. A revised curriculum has recently been introduced but is at an early stage, and approaches to identifying and addressing gaps in pupils' knowledge vary between subjects; pupils do not catch up as quickly as they could in writing. Leaders have rightly identified these issues and are taking action, but it is too early to judge the impact. Overall, pupils achieve well from their individual starting points and most move on to suitable destinations. The school is part of Nexus Multi Academy Trust and joined it in September 2023. The number of pupils attending has increased significantly since the previous inspection, and the school is over subscribed compared with its capacity. Inspectors confirmed that the school meets the provider access legislation requirements.

Strengths

• Attendance is above the national average and has been sustained over several years, including for disadvantaged pupils
• Pupils behave very well and incidents of poor behaviour or bullying are rare, with staff responding promptly when they occur
• Personal development and wellbeing are at the centre of the school's work, supported by highly effective key workers
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of enrichment activities, including outdoor education, horticulture, carpentry, bricklaying and broadcasting
• The 'learning in the community' programme builds independence, volunteering and mentoring skills
• Post-16 provision is well designed and prepares students effectively for adulthood and independent living
• Inclusion is well supported, with EHC plans used to shape learning and personalised support
• Leaders, governors and trustees provide appropriate direction and support, and are taking steps to secure sustained improvements
• The school environment is calm, friendly and thoughtfully designed to promote pupils' wellbeing
• Parents and carers typically praise the positive difference the school makes to their children's lives

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum content has not always adapted quickly enough to meet the changing needs of some younger pupils
• The revised curriculum has only recently been introduced and its impact is not yet clear
• Approaches to identifying gaps in pupils' knowledge are variable across some subjects
• Pupils do not always catch up as quickly as they could in writing
• The school's plans to check how effectively pupils learn and remember new content are not fully developed

In 2024–25 pupils at The Willows School attended 94.3% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 11.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

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, 2.1% of pupils at The Willows School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). 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 The Willows School had 9.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

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 The Willows School had 197 pupils, 99.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.

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 special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The Willows School received £21,098 and spent £22,067 for each of its 190 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £639,000 (£3,364 per pupil).

Across all 18 schools of Nexus Multi Academy Trust, income was £26,093 and spending £25,319 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 Rotherham · Rotherham local authority: places and applications

The Willows School is part of Nexus Multi Academy Trust, which runs 22 schools. The nearest others:

• Hilltop School Rotherham
• Crags Community School Rotherham
• Kingfisher Academy Sheffield
• Pennine View School Doncaster
• Kelford School Rotherham
• Abbey School Rotherham
• Willow Park School Sheffield
• Discovery Academy Sheffield
• Seven Hills School Sheffield
• Lotus Academy Sheffield

What is The Willows School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Willows School is Needs attention, from an inspection in February 2026.

When was The Willows School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Willows School was last inspected in February 2026.

How many pupils does The Willows School have?

The Willows School has 197 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Willows School cover?

The Willows School for pupils aged 7 to 19.

What are The Willows School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Willows School?

The Willows School is at Locksley Drive, Thurcroft, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S66 9NT.