Willows Primary Academy Review 2026: High-attaining primary with nursery from age 2

Strong primary outcomes are the headline here. In the most recent Key Stage 2 results snapshot (2024), 87% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the England average of 62%. The higher standard figure is also striking, 34% reached greater depth compared with an England average of 8%.

This is a two-form entry primary with nursery provision and a published weekly school time that meets the national expectation, which matters for working families and for consistency of routines. The school sits within the Future Generation Trust, and the current public-facing leadership information lists Miss Emma Leake as Acting Headteacher.

Admissions pressure is real. For Reception entry (the main intake route), demand ran at 82 applications for 49 offers in the latest available cycle shown, which is about 1.67 applications per place. That ratio helps explain why families should treat entry as the practical hurdle, not the day-to-day schooling once you are in.

The school’s own language leans towards purposeful habits rather than slogans. The Headteacher message frames the approach as deliberate botheredness, meaning decisions are intended to be thoughtful, with adults taking visible responsibility for standards and for pastoral follow-through. In practice, that kind of tone often lands well with pupils who like predictability, and with families who want clear expectations rather than mixed messages.

Early years is an important part of the picture. Nursery starts from age 2, and the routines are clearly set out, with morning and afternoon sessions and a practical emphasis on gradual settling. The nursery pages also make a point about autonomy and choice alongside short adult-led learning blocks, which is a sensible balance for three and four year olds and can make the step into Reception feel less abrupt.

Leadership information on the school site currently shows an acting structure: Acting Headteacher Miss Leake, Acting Deputy Headteacher Mrs Lewis, and assistant heads named on the staff page. That sort of clarity is helpful for parents, especially if you are joining mid-year, because you can see who is accountable for early years and for special educational needs coordination.

The numbers suggest a school that is doing far more than meeting the baseline. In 2024, 87% met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to 62% across England. The scaled scores reinforce that, reading 107, maths 109, and grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) 111. On the higher standard measure, 34% reached greater depth in reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%.

Rankings point the same way. Ranked 965th in England and 3rd in Lichfield for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), this sits well above England average, effectively within the top 10% of primary schools in England by this measure.

What this means for families is that academic stretch is likely to be the norm, not an add-on. It often shows up as quicker pacing in maths, higher expectations in writing stamina, and more deliberate vocabulary teaching in reading and foundation subjects. The school’s curriculum statements also emphasise vocabulary development and applying core skills in different contexts, which matches what you would expect from a high-attaining results profile.

Curriculum intent is explicit about mastering fundamentals and then applying them. That matters in a primary context because it helps avoid two common failure modes, lots of busy activities without long-term retention, or narrow test rehearsal without real transfer. The language focus is also sensible for mixed intakes, because vocabulary teaching is one of the strongest levers for closing gaps while still stretching high prior attainers.

The early years offer appears well thought through. The nursery description points to adult-led “focus” activities alongside child-initiated exploration, which is aligned with the Early Years Foundation Stage expectation of play-based learning with intentional teaching moments. The admissions page also signals that nursery entry is termly, the term after a child’s second or third birthday, which is helpful for planning.

There is also a clear enrichment thread running through classroom learning. The news feed gives repeated examples of curriculum-linked visits and experiences, including nature learning in woodland settings and local studies. These are not just “nice extras”, they give pupils concrete material for writing, speaking, and reasoning tasks, which tends to support both attainment and motivation.

This is a primary school, so the key transition is Year 6 to Year 7. Lichfield operates a two-tier system, primary to secondary at 11, and Staffordshire publishes detailed admissions information and catchment guidance for secondary schools. Two prominent local options in Lichfield itself are The Friary School and Nether Stowe School, both with published catchment and admissions information via Staffordshire’s official pages.

Willows’ own values and curriculum statements frame secondary readiness as more than academic grades, with emphasis on confidence, motivation, and the habits needed to cope with a larger setting. In practical terms, families should ask about transition liaison, how information is shared with secondary schools, and what support exists for pupils who are anxious about the move.

If your child has additional needs, transition planning matters even more. The school’s published safeguarding and inclusion information indicates an internal inclusion team and named staff with responsibility for emotional literacy support and family support. That infrastructure can be valuable when moving on to a secondary setting with very different daily rhythms and pastoral systems.

Reception entry is via Staffordshire’s coordinated admissions process. For the September 2026 intake, Staffordshire’s published timeline states that applications opened on 01 November 2025 and closed on 15 January 2026, with National Offer Day on 16 April 2026. If you are reading this after 15 January 2026, you are in late application territory, which can affect outcomes, so you should move quickly and follow the local authority route.

The school’s own admissions page reinforces that 15 January 2026 date for Reception, and also makes an important point for nursery families: attending nursery does not remove the need to apply for a Reception place. In other words, nursery is not an automatic feeder route, even if it can help a child settle into the setting.

Demand indicators are also worth understanding. The latest available application and offer counts show 82 applications for 49 offers, which is a meaningful oversubscription signal, even before you look at siblings, distance, and other priority categories. Because the “last offered distance” figure is not available here, families should use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check proximity carefully and treat distance-based entry as inherently variable year to year.

Nursery admissions work differently. The school states that nursery admissions are termly, and that it can offer funded hours options for eligible families. For nursery fee details, use the school’s official nursery and admissions pages rather than relying on third-party summaries.

Safeguarding information is unusually transparent. The school publishes named safeguarding leads, and a recent safeguarding policy document sets out the key safeguarding roles, including the Designated Safeguarding Lead and deputies. For parents, this matters because it indicates clear internal accountability and a culture that expects staff to act on concerns promptly rather than leaving things informal.

The school also describes an inclusion team, including family support and emotional literacy support. That can be very practical support for attendance challenges, friendship issues, or family disruption, especially in a setting that includes very young children in nursery and Reception. It is also a clue that wellbeing is treated as part of schooling, not a separate add-on.

In wraparound provision, the behaviour expectations are distilled into simple rules, Be Ready, Be Respectful, Be Safe. It is a small detail, but it often correlates with smoother handovers across the day, which is where many schools struggle, especially for younger pupils who find transitions harder.

Clubs are not left as a vague promise. The school publishes examples of termly club offers, and the list includes Creative Book Club, KS1 Choir, KS2 Choir, Recorder Club, Lego, Photography, Cooking, Hockey, Girls Football, Netball, Athletics, and KS2 Performing Arts. For families, this matters for two reasons. First, it gives quieter pupils structured ways to build friendships. Second, it builds breadth for pupils who already find academics straightforward and need other “wins” during the week.

Outdoor learning seems to be more than an occasional trip. Curriculum intent references development of a Forest School area on the school grounds, including reinstating a pond with secure fencing and a fire circle. That kind of infrastructure usually means outdoor sessions are planned, repeatable, and integrated, rather than dependent on one enthusiastic staff member.

The news stream also signals a habit of taking learning beyond the classroom in a way that is age-appropriate. Examples include woodland learning visits and local community-linked events. These experiences often lift writing quality, because pupils have shared, concrete memories to draw on when they are asked to describe, persuade, or explain.

The published school day for Reception and Years 1 to 6 runs from 8:45am to 3:15pm, which equates to 32 hours and 30 minutes each week. Nursery sessions are published separately, with morning and afternoon options.

Wraparound care is available for school-age children, with breakfast provision starting at 7:30am and after-school sessions offered after the main day. If wraparound is crucial for your household, check current availability and session patterns directly, as late-session capacity can change within a year.

Term dates are also published, including inset days. That makes planning easier for working parents, and it is worth cross-checking early if you rely on holiday childcare.

• Oversubscription is the practical constraint. With 82 applications for 49 offers in the latest available Reception entry cycle, competition for places is the limiting factor. Plan for realistic alternatives and submit more than one preference through the Staffordshire process.

• The most recent graded inspection evidence is old. The predecessor school’s last full inspection was in September 2012 and was graded Outstanding, but it is now more than a decade old. Treat it as historical context rather than a current, fine-grained assessment of today’s provision.

• Nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Even if your child attends nursery on site, you still need to apply for Reception through the local authority route, within published deadlines.

• Leadership is currently listed as acting. The website and published documents name Miss Emma Leake as Acting Headteacher. For some families this is a non-issue; others will want to ask how the leadership structure is expected to evolve, and how continuity is maintained day to day.

Willows Primary Academy looks like a high-expectations primary where strong outcomes are supported by clear routines, an explicit curriculum intent, and unusually transparent pastoral and safeguarding information. It suits families who value academic stretch, structured behaviour expectations, and a setting that includes nursery through to Year 6 in one site. The challenge lies in admission rather than what follows, so families should plan early, use accurate distance tools, and keep realistic alternatives in play.