Academy sponsor led · Doncaster

Willow Primary School

4–11Ages
417Pupils
PrimaryPhase
145935URN

Alston Road, Bessacarr, Doncaster, DN4 7EZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.1per place

0.5 above Doncaster median (1.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Doncaster

125 applications for 60 places · 10th of 84 in Doncaster

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

79%met the expected standard

Doncaster 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 18 October 2022Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
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

2.1applications per place, Reception

0.5 above Doncaster median (1.6) close to England median (2.2)

125 applications · 60 places offered · 61 named it first

2026 2.1; Doncaster median median 1.6
2025 2.3; Doncaster median median 1.6
2024 1.9; Doncaster median median 1.3
2023 2.0; Doncaster median median 1.3
2022 1.5; Doncaster median median 1.3
2021 1.8; Doncaster median median 1.3
2020 1.8; Doncaster median median 1.3
2019 1.8; Doncaster median median 1.4
2018 2.1; Doncaster median median 1.4; as the previous school
2017 2.1; Doncaster median median 1.4; as the previous school
2016 2.0; Doncaster median median 1.5; as the previous school
2015 1.9; Doncaster median median 1.4; as the previous school
2014 2.0; Doncaster median median 1.5; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Doncaster median in 8 of 8 years.

This school
Doncaster median

Dashed bars: as Willow Academy (URN 138077), Willow Primary School (URN 106745), 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	60	125	2.1	61	1.02
Sep 2025	52	119	2.3	50	0.96
Sep 2024	60	116	1.9	60	1.00
Sep 2023	45	90	2.0	34	0.76
Sep 2022	59	89	1.5	47	0.80
Sep 2021	42	74	1.8	37	0.88
Sep 2020	44	79	1.8	36	0.82
Sep 2019	52	93	1.8	40	0.77
Sep 2018 *	38	79	2.1	31	0.82
Sep 2017 *	43	90	2.1	37	0.86
Sep 2016 *	38	76	2.0	37	0.97
Sep 2015 *	52	101	1.9	46	0.88
Sep 2014 *	57	112	2.0	50	0.88

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 90% · Writing 86% · Maths 90% → all three 79% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard79%5th of 87 in Doncaster

Doncaster 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard90%

Doncaster 79% England 78%

Higher standard41%

Doncaster 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard86%

Doncaster 76% England 75%

Greater depth28%

Doncaster 10% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard90%

Doncaster 79% England 77%

Higher standard45%

Doncaster 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 109 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Doncaster median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	79%	17%	108	109
2023/24	71%	17%	107	107
2022/23	70%	11%	105	105

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

Willow Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2022

2.1applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Bessacarr Primary
0.9 km · Doncaster

Good2023

2.6applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Hatchell Wood Primary Academy
1.4 km · Doncaster

Good2022

1.5applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Hawthorn Primary School
1.4 km · Doncaster

Good2024

1.5applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
St Peter's Catholic Primary School
2.1 km · Doncaster

Standards maintained2025

2.0applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Lakeside Primary Academy
2.2 km · Doncaster

Good2024

1.6applications per place 51%met the SATs standard
Pheasant Bank Academy
2.3 km · Doncaster

Remains Good · improving2024

75%met the SATs standard
St Joseph's School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
2.8 km · Doncaster

Standards maintained2025

1.8applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Tornedale Infant Academy
2.9 km · Doncaster

Good2023

1.9applications per place

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 145935 · 371/2018
Trust: Exceed Learning Partnership
Capacity: 420 pupils · 417 on roll
Free school meals: 10.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 May 2018
Replaced: Willow Academy (URN 138077); Willow Primary School (URN 106745)
Address: Alston Road, Bessacarr, Doncaster, DN4 7EZ
Local authority: Doncaster

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