School profile

Willow Tree Primary School

Primary · Academy converter · St Helens, WA9 4LZ

Requires improvement

Map showing Willow Tree Primary School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

Key stage 2 2024/25

#3,802 of 15,057

Better than 74% of schools in England

Ranked by pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Willow Tree Primary School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 5 Jul 2022

Ofsted rating
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Early years
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhasePrimary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages3 to 11
Pupils172 of 315 places
GenderMixed
Head teacherMiss Michelle Slingsby
TrustTHE THREE SAINTS ACADEMY TRUST
Local authoritySt. Helens
Opened01 Sept 2024
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 150877.

Key stage 2 results

2024/25

Year 6 results in national curriculum tests and teacher assessments. The expected standard is the level pupils should reach by the end of primary school.

MeasureThis schoolSt. HelensEngland
Expected standard in reading, writing and maths73%62%63%
Higher standard in reading, writing and maths23%8%8%
Average reading score110105106
Average maths score108104105
Average grammar, punctuation and spelling score109105105
Expected standard in reading85%75%76%
Expected standard in writing77%75%73%
Expected standard in maths73%73%75%
Pupils taking tests26--

Source: DfE, Compare school performance, Compare school performance 2024-2025.

Pupils

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils172
Girls81
Boys91
Eligible for free school meals54.7%
First language not English15.1%
SEN support54
EHC plan6
Average class size21.3

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Pupils ethnicity

White British
82%
African
4.1%
Other ethnic group
4.1%
White and Black African
2.3%
Other White
1.7%
Other mixed
1.7%
Pakistani
1.7%
White and Asian
0.6%
Chinese
0.6%
Irish
0%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed. Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means missing 50% or more.

MeasureThis schoolSt. HelensEngland
Overall absence6.8%5%5.1%
Persistent absence20.5%12.4%13.2%
Severe absence0.6%0.8%1%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Reception)11
Applications (Reception)38
First preference applications (Reception)10
First preference offers (Reception)10
Applications from another local authority (Reception)1

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Capacity

2024/25
MeasureThis school
School places315
Pupils on roll172
Unfilled places45.4%

Source: DfE, School capacity, Academic year 2024/25, published 19 Mar 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher21.1
Pupils per adult10.1
Teachers (FTE)8.11
Teaching assistants (FTE)7.48
Support staff (FTE)11.18
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/258.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/254.6
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/252
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25
MeasureThis school
Suspension rate13%
Pupils with one or more suspensions6%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Willow Tree Primary School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimarySt Theresa's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.5 miPrimarySherdley Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryEaves Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimarySt Anne's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.8 miSecondaryThe Sutton AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.9 miPrimarySutton Manor Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.2 miPrimaryRobins Lane Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.3 miPrimarySutton Oak CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
1.5 miPrimarySt John Vianney Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.7 miSecondarySt Cuthbert's Catholic AcademyAcademy converter
Unrated

Frequently asked questions about Willow Tree Primary School

What is Willow Tree Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Willow Tree Primary School is rated Requires improvement by Ofsted, last inspected on 5 Jul 2022.

How does Willow Tree Primary School rank in England?

Willow Tree Primary School ranks 3,802 of 15,057 schools in England for Key stage 2 2024/25 (better than 74% of schools).

How many pupils attend Willow Tree Primary School?

Willow Tree Primary School has 172 pupils aged 3 to 11, with capacity for 315.

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.