Willow Tree Primary School

St. Helens · WA9 4LZ

General information Primary School · 3-11 years Who goes here 172 pupils, 55.3% FSM

Educational attainment Ofsted: Requires improvement

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 31.4% on SEN support Behaviour 8.3% absence rate Staff 46.5% turnover Financials £6,512 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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Willow Tree Primary School

General Information

Address: Willow Tree Avenue, Leach Lane, St Helens, WA9 4LZ – View on map
Phone: 01744678730
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Miss Michelle Slingsby
Age range: 3-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 10 families put it first for 11 places – 9 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2025 10 · 2026 9
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

172 pupils out of 259 places Plenty of room

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 94
% eligible for free school meals: 55.3%
Pupil mix: 3 in 10 (more mixed than the St. Helens average)
English as an additional language: 15% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 46.5% a year (St. Helens 11.6%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 50% moved to another school, 50% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (one year, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house. This is a small staff, so one or two teachers leaving moves the figure a lot.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across St. Helens: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 0 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 1 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 1 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in St. Helens, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 8.3%
Persistently absent pupils: 27.2%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 31.4%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 3.5%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 24 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 15 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 5 pupils
SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need: 5 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 4 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Speech, language and communications needs: 4 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 1 pupil
Severe learning difficulty: 1 pupil

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Requires improvement 2022 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 73% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 23% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 11 percentage points above the St. Helens average (62%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Above (3-year average 67% against an expected 56%)
3-year average (expected standard): 67%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 85% · Writing 77% · Maths 73% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 73%
Average test scores: reading 110, maths 108
Based on: 26 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolSt. Helens averageEngland↗ Improving Up 9 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 11 percentage points above the St. Helens average (62%).

Year 6 SATs: 13th of 52 junior and primary schools in the area

#11St Ann's Church of England Primary School75%
#12Rainford Brook Lodge Community Primary School74%
#13Willow Tree Primary School73%
=14Queen's Park CofE/Urc Primary School72%
=14St Mary's Catholic Junior Academy72%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1St Mary's Catholic Primary School88%
#2St Peter's CofE Primary School83%
#3St Aidan's CofE Primary School Billinge82%
#4St John Vianney Catholic Primary School80%
#5Eaves Primary School79%
#6St Bartholomew's Catholic Primary School78%
=7Eccleston Lane Ends Primary School77%
=7St Julie's Catholic Primary School77%
=7St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School77%
=7St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School77%
#11St Ann's Church of England Primary School75%
#12Rainford Brook Lodge Community Primary School74%
#13Willow Tree Primary School73%
=14Queen's Park CofE/Urc Primary School72%
=14St Mary's Catholic Junior Academy72%
#16Grange Valley Primary School71%
=17Garswood Primary and Nursery School70%
=17Rainford CofE Primary School70%
#19St Theresa's Catholic Primary School69%
#20Thatto Heath Community Primary School68%
#21Billinge Chapel End Primary School67%
#22Eccleston Mere Primary School66%
=23Bleak Hill Primary School65%
=23St James' Church of England Primary School65%
#25Nutgrove Methodist Primary School64%
#26Parish Church of England Primary School, St Helens63%
=27Allanson Street Primary School62%
=27Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School62%
=27Lyme Community Primary School62%
=30Longton Lane Community Primary School61%
=30St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School61%
=32St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Devon Street60%
=32The District CofE Primary School60%
=34Haydock English Martyrs' Primary School59%
=34Rivington Primary School59%
#36Newton-le-Willows Primary School58%
=37Ashurst Primary School57%
=37Broad Oak Community Primary School57%
=37Sutton Oak CofE Primary School57%
=37Wargrave CofE Primary School57%
=41Robins Lane Community Primary School54%
=41Sherdley Primary School54%
#43St. Mary's Blackbrook Catholic Primary School53%
#44Carr Mill Primary School52%
=45Legh Vale Primary School47%
=45Sutton Manor Community Primary School47%
#47St Austin's Catholic Primary School46%
#48Holy Cross Catholic Primary School44%
#49Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School37%
#50St Anne's Catholic Primary School35%
#51Merton Bank Primary School28%
#52Rectory CofE Primary School27%

View full Ofsted inspection report

32nd of 32 primary schools in St. Helens for Ofsted rating

#30The District CofE Primary SchoolGood
#31Merton Bank Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#32Willow Tree Primary SchoolRequires improvement

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Bleak Hill Primary SchoolOutstanding
#2Garswood Primary and Nursery SchoolOutstanding
#3Grange Valley Primary SchoolOutstanding
#4St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary SchoolOutstanding
#5Allanson Street Primary SchoolGood
#6Billinge Chapel End Primary SchoolGood
#7Carr Mill Primary SchoolGood
#8Corpus Christi Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#9Eaves Primary SchoolGood
#10Haydock English Martyrs' Primary SchoolGood
#11Holy Spirit Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#12Longton Lane Community Primary SchoolGood
#13Oakdene Primary AcademyGood
#14Queen's Park CofE/Urc Primary SchoolGood
#15Rainford Brook Lodge Community Primary SchoolGood
#16Rainford CofE Primary SchoolGood
#17Rivington Primary SchoolGood
#18Robins Lane Community Primary SchoolGood
#19Sherdley Primary SchoolGood
#20St Anne's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#21St Austin's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#22St Bartholomew's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#23St James' Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#24St Mary's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#25St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#26St. Mary's Blackbrook Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#27Sutton Manor Community Primary SchoolGood
#28Sutton Oak CofE Primary SchoolGood
#29Thatto Heath Community Primary SchoolGood
#30The District CofE Primary SchoolGood
#31Merton Bank Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#32Willow Tree Primary SchoolRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £6,512 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

34th of 51 primary schools in St. Helens for spending per pupil

#32Sherdley Primary School£6,606
#33St Mary's Catholic Primary School£6,561
#34Willow Tree Primary School£6,512
#35St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School£6,465
#36St. Mary's Blackbrook Catholic Primary School£6,460

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Rectory CofE Primary School£14,198
#2St Aidan's CofE Primary School Billinge£9,151
#3Merton Bank Primary School£8,970
#4St James' Church of England Primary School£8,311
#5Broad Oak Community Primary School£7,886
#6Wargrave CofE Primary School£7,801
#7Ashurst Primary School£7,766
#8St Theresa's Catholic Primary School£7,635
#9Holy Cross Catholic Primary School£7,614
#10St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Devon Street£7,538
#11Sutton Manor Community Primary School£7,463
#12Allanson Street Primary School£7,454
#13Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School£7,341
#14Rivington Primary School£7,295
#15Sutton Oak CofE Primary School£7,283
#16St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School£7,269
#17Lyme Community Primary School£7,263
#18St Anne's Catholic Primary School£7,241
#19Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School£7,210
#20The District CofE Primary School£7,166
#21Thatto Heath Community Primary School£7,162
#22Carr Mill Primary School£7,153
#23Robins Lane Community Primary School£7,123
#24Eaves Primary School£7,092
#25Parish Church of England Primary School, St Helens£7,070
#26Garswood Primary and Nursery School£7,048
#27St Austin's Catholic Primary School£7,010
#28Eccleston Lane Ends Primary School£6,955
#29Haydock English Martyrs' Primary School£6,952
#30Queen's Park CofE/Urc Primary School£6,905
#31Grange Valley Primary School£6,719
#32Sherdley Primary School£6,606
#33St Mary's Catholic Primary School£6,561
#34Willow Tree Primary School£6,512
#35St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School£6,465
#36St. Mary's Blackbrook Catholic Primary School£6,460
#37Nutgrove Methodist Primary School£6,408
#38St John Vianney Catholic Primary School£6,404
#39St Bartholomew's Catholic Primary School£6,346
#40Legh Vale Primary School£6,338
#41Newton-le-Willows Primary School£6,313
#42Rainford Brook Lodge Community Primary School£6,300
#43St Julie's Catholic Primary School£6,266
#44Longton Lane Community Primary School£6,223
#45Eccleston Mere Primary School£6,219
#46Rainford CofE Primary School£6,198
#47St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School£6,124
#48Billinge Chapel End Primary School£6,065
#49St Peter's CofE Primary School£5,749
#50St Ann's Church of England Primary School£5,689
#51Bleak Hill Primary School£5,671

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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