Willow House School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 March 2026

Pupils who attend Willow House School come to school almost every day. This is because they enjoy the work that they do here and the dedicated support they receive from their teachers and other staff. Pupils have experienced breakdowns in their schooling in the past. When they join Willow House, they quickly regain some self-confidence and interest in education. This is reflected in their high attendance, their improved behaviour and the pride and resilience they show towards their school work, even when it is difficult. They particularly enjoy the many and varied events and visits they experience while they are at the school. They learn about other faiths and cultures and develop an appreciation of different artists. They have many opportunities to engage with the local community and this helps them to develop a sense of belonging. They leave the school well prepared for their next stages in education, which typically means successfully transferring into community schooling. Pupils achieve well overall, especially in developing their personal skills, such as interacting socially and sensibly with each other. They also make steady progress through the well-designed curriculum, though they could improve their writing skills further. Over time, pupils learn that they are safe and valued. Leaders hold high expectations for every pupil regardless of need. There is clear evidence that this makes a sustained difference to pupils' behaviour, engagement and wellbeing.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that teachers know the best approaches to improving pupils’ writing skills.
• Leaders need to ensure that the physical development curriculum is well designed and resourced.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)