The Willows Primary School, based in Ipswich, provides primary education, serving pupils aged 3 to 11. The school is a academy converter and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school.
The Willows Primary School currently has around 306 pupils on roll, which is about 73% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 47.7% boys and 52.3% girls. Around 55.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The school has a diverse intake across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 8.9%. Persistent absence is recorded at 33%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (60.8%).
At its latest Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Requires Improvement. This means the school has areas that require improvement. Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | Downing Close, Ipswich, IP2 9ER |
| Website: | https://www.thewillows.omat.org.uk/ |
| Telephone: | 01473683178 |
| School Type: | Academy converter |
| Education phase: | Primary |
| Local authority: | Suffolk |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mrs Kelly Head |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 144216 |
Ofsted inspection date: 13/02/2024
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 3 - 11 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 420 |
| Number of Pupils: | 306 |
| Number of Boys: | 146 |
| Number of Girls: | 160 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 8.9% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 33% | 8.2% |
| White British | 60.80% | 186 |
| Other Mixed | 8.50% | 26 |
| Other White | 6.90% | 21 |
| African | 5.90% | 18 |
| White and Black African | 3.90% | 12 |
| Unclassified | 3.30% | 10 |
| Other Black | 2.90% | 9 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 2.60% | 8 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 2.30% | 7 |
| White and Asian | 1.00% | 3 |
| Caribbean | 1.00% | 3 |
| Indian | 0.70% | 2 |
| Pakistani | 0.30% | 1 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish | 0.00% | 0 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.00% | 0 |
| Other Asian | 0.00% | 0 |
| Chinese | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
Progress scores show how pupils performed compared with pupils nationally who had similar prior attainment. Scores above 0 are better than average; below 0 are worse than average.
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Willows Primary School Downing Close , IP2 9ER | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| The Willows Primary School Downing Close , IP2 9ER | 2out of 4 | 0 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Mark's Catholic Primary School Stone Lodge Lane West , IP2 9HN | 3out of 4 | 762 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Mark's Catholic Primary School, Ipswich Stone Lodge Lane West , IP2 9HN | - not rated | 762 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Halifax Primary School Prince of Wales Drive , IP2 8PY | - not rated | 923 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chantry Academy Mallard Way , IP2 9LR | 3out of 4 | 485 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Chantry High School Mallard Way , IP2 9LR | - not rated | 485 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Stoke High School Maidenhall Approach , IP2 8PL | - not rated | 1,409 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy Maidenhall Approach , IP2 8PL | 3out of 4 | 1,409 yd | Academy sponsor led | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Sixth Form College Scrivener Drive , Pinewood IP8 3SU | - not rated | 1,884 yd | Academy 16-19 converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Suffolk New College Rope Walk , IP4 1LT | - not rated | 3,056 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk One Scrivener Drive , Pinewood IP8 3SU | - not rated | 1,884 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph's College Belstead Road , Ipswich IP2 9DR | - not rated | 433 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Stone Lodge Academy Stone Lodge Lane West , IP2 9HW | - not rated | 626 yd | Academy special sponsor led | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Beacon Hill School Stone Lodge Lane West , IP2 9HW | - not rated | 626 yd | Community special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| St Joseph's Oakhill Oak Hill Lane , IP2 9AN | - not rated | 1,359 yd | Other independent school | Not Applicable | Boys | More About School |
| Belstead School Sprites Lane , IP8 3ND | - not rated | 1,814 yd | Community special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.