Academy converter · St. Helens

Willow Tree Primary School

3–11Ages
172Pupils
PrimaryPhase
150877URN

Willow Tree Avenue, Leach Lane, Sutton Leach, St Helens, WA9 4LZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jul 2022 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.5per place

1.3 above St. Helens median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in St. Helens

38 applications for 11 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

73%met the expected standard

St. Helens 62% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 5 July 2022Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement
Early years provision		Requires improvement

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

3.5applications per place, Reception

1.3 above St. Helens median (2.1) 1.3 above England median (2.2)

38 applications · 11 places offered · 10 named it first

2026 3.5; St. Helens median median 2.1
2025 1.7; St. Helens median median 2.0
2024 1.1; St. Helens median median 1.8; as the previous school
2023 1.3; St. Helens median median 1.9; as the previous school
2022 1.6; St. Helens median median 1.9; as the previous school
2021 2.2; St. Helens median median 1.6; as the previous school
2020 1.8; St. Helens median median 1.9; as the previous school
2019 1.4; St. Helens median median 1.9; as the previous school
2018 1.5; St. Helens median median 1.8; as the previous school
2017 1.4; St. Helens median median 1.8; as the previous school
2016 1.2; St. Helens median median 2.0; as the previous school
2015 1.6; St. Helens median median 2.0; as the previous school
2014 1.9; St. Helens median median 1.9; as the previous school

This school
St. Helens median

Dashed bars: as Willow Tree Primary School (URN 104772), 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	11	38	3.5	10	0.91
Sep 2025	11	19	1.7	11	1.00
Sep 2024 *	28	32	1.1	22	0.79
Sep 2023 *	19	25	1.3	19	1.00
Sep 2022 *	20	31	1.6	18	0.90
Sep 2021 *	17	37	2.2	17	1.00
Sep 2020 *	29	51	1.8	24	0.83
Sep 2019 *	27	39	1.4	24	0.89
Sep 2018 *	28	42	1.5	24	0.86
Sep 2017 *	32	45	1.4	25	0.78
Sep 2016 *	45	56	1.2	31	0.69
Sep 2015 *	30	48	1.6	29	0.97
Sep 2014 *	30	57	1.9	34	1.13

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 85% · Writing 77% · Maths 73% → all three 73% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard73%13th of 52 in St. Helens

St. Helens 62% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard85%

St. Helens 76% England 78%

Higher standard50%

St. Helens 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 110 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard77%

St. Helens 76% England 75%

Greater depth27%

St. Helens 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard73%

St. Helens 75% England 77%

Higher standard42%

St. Helens 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

This school
St. Helens median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	73%	23%	110	108
2023/24	67%	7%	105	105
2022/23	64%	2%	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 Tree Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Requires improvement2022

3.5applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
St Theresa's Catholic Primary School
0.7 km · St. Helens

2026

1.6applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Sherdley Primary School
0.8 km · St. Helens

Remains Good2023

2.4applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Eaves Primary School
1.1 km · St. Helens

Remains Good2023

3.5applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
St Anne's Catholic Primary School
1.3 km · St. Helens

Good2022

1.6applications per place 35%met the SATs standard
Sutton Manor Community Primary School
1.4 km · St. Helens

Good2022

1.8applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
Robins Lane Community Primary School
2.0 km · St. Helens

Remains Good2024

3.5applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Sutton Oak CofE Primary School
2.1 km · St. Helens

Remains Good2023

1.3applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
St John Vianney Catholic Primary School
2.4 km · St. Helens

2026

2.2applications per place 80%met the SATs standard

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: 150877 · 342/2022
Trust: The Three Saints Academy Trust
Capacity: 259 pupils · 172 on roll
Free school meals: 55.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2024
Replaced: Willow Tree Primary School (URN 104772)
Address: Willow Tree Avenue, Leach Lane, Sutton Leach, St Helens, WA9 4LZ
Local authority: St. Helens

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