Academy converter · Suffolk

The Willows Primary School

4–11Ages
259Pupils
PrimaryPhase
144216URN

Downing Close, Ipswich, IP2 9ER · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Feb 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

close to Suffolk median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Suffolk

35 applications for 20 places · 83rd of 165 in Suffolk

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

35%met the expected standard

Suffolk 60% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 13 February 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes		Requires improvement
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement
Early years provision	Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.8applications per place, Reception

close to Suffolk median (1.8) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

35 applications · 20 places offered · 19 named it first

2026 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.8
2025 2.2; Suffolk median median 1.8
2024 1.7; Suffolk median median 1.8
2023 1.4; Suffolk median median 1.8
2022 1.6; Suffolk median median 1.8
2021 1.6; Suffolk median median 1.9
2020 1.4; Suffolk median median 1.7
2019 1.7; Suffolk median median 1.8
2018 1.6; Suffolk median median 1.8
2017 1.7; Suffolk median median 1.8
2016 1.3; Suffolk median median 1.9; as the previous school
2015 1.5; Suffolk median median 1.9; as the previous school
2014 1.9; Suffolk median median 1.9; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Suffolk median in 1 of 10 years.

This school
Suffolk median

Dashed bars: as The Willows Primary School (URN 124669), the previous school.

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	20	35	1.8	19	0.95
Sep 2025	17	37	2.2	17	1.00
Sep 2024	25	42	1.7	23	0.92
Sep 2023	40	55	1.4	37	0.93
Sep 2022	42	65	1.6	40	0.95
Sep 2021	40	63	1.6	33	0.83
Sep 2020	60	83	1.4	47	0.78
Sep 2019	49	81	1.7	45	0.92
Sep 2018	60	94	1.6	54	0.90
Sep 2017	52	87	1.7	47	0.90
Sep 2016 *	45	57	1.3	32	0.71
Sep 2015 *	40	61	1.5	26	0.65
Sep 2014 *	33	63	1.9	29	0.88

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 54% · Writing 50% · Maths 50% → all three 35% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard35%208th of 223 in Suffolk

Suffolk 60% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard54%

Suffolk 76% England 78%

Higher standard20%

Suffolk 32% England 33%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard50%

Suffolk 73% England 75%

Greater depth11%

Suffolk 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard50%

Suffolk 73% England 77%

Higher standard15%

Suffolk 21% England 24%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Suffolk median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	35%	6%	100	100
2023/24	28%	4%	101	98
2022/23	20%	0%	100	97

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

The Willows Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

1.8applications per place 35%met the SATs standard
St Mark's Catholic Primary School
0.7 km · Suffolk

Good2023

2.0applications per place
Halifax Primary School
0.8 km · Suffolk

Standards maintained2025

1.6applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Gusford Community Primary School
0.9 km · Suffolk

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
The Oaks Primary School
1.0 km · Suffolk

Standards maintained2024

2.8applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Sprites Primary Academy
1.4 km · Suffolk

Good2022

1.8applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Hillside Primary School
1.5 km · Suffolk

2026

1.1applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Ranelagh Primary School
1.7 km · Suffolk

Good2022

1.6applications per place 23%met the SATs standard
One Sixth Form College
1.7 km · Suffolk

Not yet inspected

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 144216 · 935/2185
Trust: Orwell Multi Academy Trust
Capacity: 390 pupils · 259 on roll
Free school meals: 60.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 April 2017
Replaced: The Willows Primary School (URN 124669)
Address: Downing Close, Ipswich, IP2 9ER
Local authority: Suffolk · Ipswich

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources