The Willows Primary School
Greatbatch Avenue, Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7JYOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
The Willows Primary School is a primary school in Stoke-on-Trent for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 113 schools in Stoke-on-Trent. It ranks 16th of 102 primary schools in Stoke-on-Trent. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 10 June 2025, report published 7 September 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 10 June 2025
The Willows Primary School is a warm and nurturing school where pupils thrive. The school's vision of 'Explore, dream and discover' is realised through the vast array of experiences that pupils have access to. Most pupils achieve successfully in a broad range of subjects. Relationships are at the core of all the school's work. Pupils are happy. They feel safe and well cared for. Pupils are confident that adults take any concerns they have seriously. Pupils behave well in lessons. The varied activities offered to pupils at social times support their behaviour and interactions with each other. They are kind to one another and play well together. The school nurtures pupils' talents and interests through a diverse enrichment programme involving a wide range of sporting and creative activities. These include crocheting, trampolining, weightlifting and many sporting competitions. Pupils benefit from a rich and varied set of experiences that celebrate their local heritage and broaden their horizons. These experiences include different career-focused workshops, local artist visits and residential trips. During their time at the school, pupils develop into responsible and well- rounded citizens through the many pupil leadership opportunities that they undertake.
What the school should improve
- Sometimes the school does not consistently and accurately identify how well pupils develop knowledge over time. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school needs to ensure that assessment is used effectively in all aspects of its work so that pupils, including those with SEND, develop secure knowledge across the curriculum.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
92 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
689 pupils on roll, with places for 690
Schools near The Willows Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Good | 58% met the expected standard |
| St John's CofE (A) Primary School | 0.7 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | 48% met the expected standard |
| Stoke Minster CofE Primary Academy | 0.7 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good | 42% met the expected standard |
| Harpfield Primary Academy | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 67% met the expected standard |
| Oakhill Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 58% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mrs Sarah Thursfield
- Phone
- 01782233280
- Address
- Greatbatch Avenue, Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7JY
- Local authority
- Stoke-on-Trent
- URN
- 123999
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.