Willows Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 3 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Victoria Road, Timperley, Altrincham, WA15 6PPOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Willows Primary School is a primary school in Altrincham for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 101 schools in Trafford. It ranks 10th of 17 primary schools in Altrincham. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2014.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 1 October 2014, report published 23 October 2014

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 9 April 2024

Pupils enjoy attending this school and are overwhelmingly happy. They value the school's welcoming nature. Pupils shared that the best thing about the school is that they can be themselves. Everyone is treated fairly and with respect. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary during lessons and at social times. They strive to live up to the school's values of responsibility, challenge, self-belief and care. Pupils gave many examples of how they show these values in and out of school each day. The school is ambitious for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils also have high aspirations for themselves. They make meaningful connections in their learning and build a secure body of knowledge over time. They are well prepared for the next stages of their education. Pupils understand how to manage their mental health and well-being. Pupils know about the importance of getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, as well as eating a balanced diet. They also know that they need something in their life to keep them happy. The school supports this with many clubs and additional activities, such as cooking, photography and yoga. Many pupils relish the chance to compete in sports tournaments, including football and cross-country. They are proud to represent their school.

What the school should improve

  • In some areas of learning in the early years, the school has not identified the precise knowledge that children should learn. This means that staff do not prepare children as well as they should for their learning in key stage 1. The school should determine the knowledge that children should acquire in these areas of learning, so that children have solid foundations on which to build future learning.
  • Occasionally, the activities that staff provide for children in the early years are not well chosen. This hinders some children from deepening their thinking skills in some areas of learning, which means that they do not learn as much as they could. The school should support staff to engage children in well-chosen activities that sustain children's thinking and deepen their knowledge and understanding.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

60 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths80%

80%, 18 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths12%

12%, 4 percentage points above the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score108

108, 2 above the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score108

108, 3 above the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score108

108, 3 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

375 pupils on roll, with places for 400

Eligible for free school meals2.9%

2.9%, 23.6 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language18.9%

18.9%, 2.7 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support10.1%

10.1%, 4.7 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan2.7%

2.7%, 3.3 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Willows Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Forest School0.1 milesNo Ofsted inspectionNot published
St Hugh's Catholic Primary School0.4 milesOfsted judgements: Good75% met the expected standard
Cloverlea Primary School0.6 milesOfsted judgements: Good63% met the expected standard
St Vincent's Catholic Primary School0.7 milesOfsted: Outstanding89% met the expected standard
Heyes Lane Primary School0.7 milesOfsted: Good78% 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
Headteacher Rachel Ross
Address
Victoria Road, Timperley, Altrincham, WA15 6PP
Local authority
Trafford
URN
106294

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.