The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
A clear organising idea runs through Willow Green Academy, childhood experiences that build confidence now and resilience later. The early years provision sets the tone, with deliberately planned learning and routines that expect children to self regulate and make sensible choices from the start.
For a state primary serving local families in Knottingley, the headline story is strong attainment at the end of key stage 2, alongside an admissions picture that suggests steady demand. In the most recent published cohort, 65 applications were made for 30 Reception offers, around 2.17 applications per place. That context matters, because entry pressure tends to shape how communities use nurseries, sibling links, and in year moves.
The school is part of Delta Academies Trust, and the curriculum language reflects that trust wide approach to sequencing knowledge and building habits. In 2023, a routine Ofsted visit confirmed the school remains Good, while indicating it could be judged higher at a graded inspection.
The culture is framed through the ASPIRE ethos, presented as a practical set of expectations that pupils can articulate, including safety, pride, independence, responsibility and engagement. In practice, this shows up as an emphasis on behaviour routines and pupils making safe choices, particularly visible in early years where self control is explicitly taught rather than assumed.
There is also a noticeable trust signature in how the school describes learning, with purposeful sequencing across subjects and explicit links between disciplines, for example drawing skills supporting design work later on. That sounds technical, but for families it usually translates into fewer gaps and less repetition, especially for pupils who need clarity and consistency in what comes next.
Leadership information on official registers lists Mr Martin Rollin as headteacher or principal, and the school website presents Mr M Rollin as Head of Academy. Public sources do not consistently publish a start date, so families who want that detail should ask directly when arranging a visit.
Willow Green Academy is ranked 10,440th in England for primary outcomes and 7th within its local area in the FindMySchool ranking, a proprietary ranking built from official attainment measures. In plain English, the percentile band places the school below England average overall, within the bottom 40% of ranked primaries in England on this composite measure.
Set against that, the most recent published key stage 2 attainment data shows a stronger picture on headline thresholds. In 2024, 76.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. That is a meaningful margin for families weighing local alternatives.
Scaled scores are also solid, with reading at 103, mathematics at 104 and grammar, punctuation and spelling at 103. These are above the typical national reference point of 100, suggesting the cohort performed slightly above the national standard across the tested areas.
At the higher standard, 17.67% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. This matters because it indicates there is stretch in the system for higher attaining pupils, not only support for those working towards the expected standard.
A sensible way to interpret the mix is this, attainment looks encouraging on key thresholds in the most recent results, while the broader composite ranking signals that performance has been more variable across the full set of measures and years that feed into the ranking. Families comparing schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and comparison tools to view the same measures side by side, rather than relying on a single headline.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
Reading, Writing & Maths
76.67%
% of pupils achieving expected standard
The curriculum narrative is unusually specific for a primary, with early number knowledge prioritised from the start and a deliberate approach to building fine motor control, communication, and practical independence. One practical example is the use of a woodwork shed in early years activities to develop controlled risk taking and the motor skills that later support writing.
Subject sequencing is described as purposeful rather than thematic, with knowledge building cumulatively and pupils expected to remember and connect what they have learned. For parents, the implication is that homework, reading practice, and vocabulary development are likely to be aligned with what is being taught, not bolted on as separate tasks.
For pupils who need extra structure, the advantage of this approach is predictability. For pupils who fly, the same approach can be stretching when the next step is clearly defined and teachers can move on quickly once mastery is secure.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
As a 3 to 11 primary, the main transition point is into Year 7. The school describes transition as a priority across entry and exit points, with planned strategies to support pupils as they move through phases and on to secondary education.
For most families in Knottingley and the surrounding area, the likely next step is a local state secondary, with the exact destination depending on home address and the local authority’s coordinated admissions arrangements. If your child is approaching Year 6, it is worth checking the Wakefield admissions materials early and attending secondary open events in the autumn term so that the move into Year 7 feels planned rather than rushed.
For pupils who need additional support with change, the most useful questions to ask Willow Green are practical ones, how Year 6 transition work is structured, what information is shared with receiving secondaries, and how pupils are supported emotionally in the final term.
Willow Green Academy is a state funded school with no tuition fees. Nursery and school places are allocated through the usual state routes, with admissions shaped by Wakefield’s coordinated process and the school’s published arrangements.
Demand indicates an oversubscribed Reception intake, with 65 applications for 30 offers and a first preference ratio of 1.11. Practically, this means some families who list the school first will not secure a place, so it is worth using Wakefield’s catchment area search and being realistic about travel plans.
For Reception entry for September 2026 in Wakefield, the Parent Portal opens on 1 November 2025 and the national closing date for on time applications is 15 January 2026. Offer day is typically in mid April, and Wakefield states applications for the September 2026 intake follow that schedule.
If you are shortlisting, the FindMySchool Map Search can help you compare your exact home to school distance with other options nearby, even when furthest distance at which a place was offered figures are not published for a given year.
90.3%
1st preference success rate
28 of 31 first-choice applicants received an offer
Places
30
Offers
30
Applications
65
Safeguarding and wellbeing are presented as core priorities, with named safeguarding leads listed publicly and a clear message that concerns will be acted on and, where required, shared with partner agencies.
The wider culture points to calm routines and high expectations. In the most recent Ofsted report, safeguarding was confirmed as effective, and the school’s behaviour and citizenship culture was described as strong from early years onward.
For families, the practical implication is a school that leans into clarity and consistency, which often suits children who benefit from predictable boundaries. If your child is anxious, ask how staff handle worries day to day, what the handover routines look like in early years, and how communication works between home and class teams.
Extracurricular breadth is easiest to judge when schools name specific activities rather than using general phrases. Willow Green does publish concrete examples across the years.
Clubs have included Forest Schools sessions as an after school offer for different year groups, framed as outdoor learning focused on wildlife, nature and practical skills.
Performing and arts activity appears in the form of Young Voices Singing Club, used to prepare pupils in Years 3 to 6 for the Young Voices performance, with rehearsals structured as an after school club.
On the sport and activity side, published materials reference multi sports, dance and gymnastics, and targeted athletics club provision delivered with an external coaching organisation for Years 4 to 6.
For pupils, the value is not only fun. Regular clubs can improve attendance, strengthen friendships across classes, and give quieter children a role where they feel competent. For parents, the key is logistics, whether clubs run consistently, whether places are limited, and whether disadvantaged pupils are prioritised for access, which the school’s equality objectives suggest is an active focus.
The academy day is published as Nursery (FS1) 8.45am to 11.45am, and FS2 to Year 6 8.45am to 3.20pm. The gates open at 8.30am, with the school day starting promptly at 8.45am.
Nursery provision is in place, but nursery fee details should be taken from the school directly or the official website, and eligible families may be able to use government funded hours.
Breakfast club is offered, and the local authority school directory lists before school club provision, while also indicating no wraparound provision overall, so it is worth clarifying whether after school care is currently available and on what basis.
For travel, Hampden Close is within Knottingley and Ferrybridge, so most local families use walking routes or short car journeys. If you drive, newsletters stress safe drop off practices around the gates, which is typical of cul de sac school sites.
Competition for Reception places. With around 2.17 applications per place some families will not secure a spot even when listing the school first. Plan a realistic second preference.
Wraparound specifics need checking. Breakfast provision is referenced, but after school arrangements are not clearly presented as a single consistent offer across the year. Ask for current times, costs, and how places are allocated.
Published attainment versus composite rank. The most recent key stage 2 thresholds look strong against England averages, while the FindMySchool composite ranking sits below England average overall. Parents comparing schools should look across several measures and more than one year.
Nursery to Reception is not automatic. As with all state schools, nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place, so families using nursery should still apply on time through the local authority.
Willow Green Academy suits families who want a structured, experience rich primary with a clear behavioural culture and a deliberately sequenced curriculum, particularly in early years. Key stage 2 attainment in the latest data looks encouraging against England averages, and the school’s wider offer includes named clubs such as Forest Schools and Young Voices Singing Club.
Who it suits most is children who respond well to routine, clear expectations and a school day that starts promptly. The main challenge for many families is admission at Reception, so applying on time and keeping realistic preferences matters as much as the school choice itself.
The school is rated Good, and the most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2023 confirmed that judgement while indicating the evidence could support a higher grade at the next graded inspection. 76.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at key stage 2, above the England average of 62%.
For Wakefield residents applying for Reception places starting in September 2026, Wakefield states the online Parent Portal opens on 1 November 2025 and the national closing date for on time applications is 15 January 2026.
Nursery provision is available, but attendance in nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still need to apply through the local authority process by the published deadline for the September intake.
Published timings are Nursery (FS1) 8.45am to 11.45am, and FS2 to Year 6 8.45am to 3.20pm, with gates opening at 8.30am.
The school has run activities such as Forest Schools as an after school club for specific year groups and Young Voices Singing Club for Years 3 to 6 to prepare for a large scale performance. Published materials also reference clubs such as dance, gymnastics and guitar.
Get in touch with the school directly
Disclaimer
Information on this page is compiled, analysed, and processed from publicly available sources including the Department for Education (DfE), Ofsted, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and official school websites.
Our rankings, metrics, and assessments are derived from this data using our own methodologies and represent our independent analysis rather than official standings.
While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee that all information is current, complete, or error-free. Data may change without notice, and schools and/or local authorities should be contacted directly to verify any details before making decisions.
FindMySchool does not endorse any particular school, and rankings reflect specific metrics rather than overall quality.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from reliance on information provided. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us.