SchoolScoresWillowcroft Community School
Academy · Primary, ages 2 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class
Part of WILLOWCROFT ACADEMY TRUST
Mereland Road, Didcot, OX11 8BA
01235 813304 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 24 March 2015.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 6 March 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
76 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.
Didcot comparisons use the 6 of its 14 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 8 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | Didcot | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 2nd highest of 6 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Didcot. Higher than 47% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 95% | 90% | 88% |
| My child feels safe at this school 4th highest of 6 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Didcot. Higher than 25% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 91% | 90% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 4th highest of 6 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Didcot. Higher than 27% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 84% | 82% | 84% |
| Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 24 parents whose child had been bullied 4th highest of 6 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Didcot. Higher than 13% of 6,022 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 37% | 43% | 50% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 50 parents who had raised a concern 4th highest of 6 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Didcot. Higher than 9% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 62% | 70% | 76% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent 4th highest of 6 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Didcot. Higher than 38% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 88%said yes | 82% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Didcot figures pool parents at the Didcot schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
61 pupils in this year group.
69% — 7 points above the Oxfordshire average, and 7 points above the England average.
| Measure | This school | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 69% | 62% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 11% | 9% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 82% | 76% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 75% | 72% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 75% | 74% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 108 | 106 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 105 | 104 | 105 |
Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Oxfordshire. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.
| Places offered | 58 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 60 |
| Of those, offered a place | 56 (93%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 116 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.9 · 2025: 0.8 · 2026: 1.0
This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 3rd highest of 14 state primary schools in Didcot. Higher than 56% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 24.6% | 17.0%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 5th highest of 14 state primary schools in Didcot. Higher than 78% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 4.7% | 3.8%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 2nd highest of 14 state primary schools in Didcot. Higher than 83% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 20.7% | 16.2%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 6th highest of 14 state primary schools in Didcot. Higher than 70% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 21.9% | 18.6%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 12th lowest of 14 state primary schools in Didcot. Lower than 38% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 5.4% | 5.1%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 12th lowest of 14 state primary schools in Didcot. Lower than 32% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 14.9% | 11.8%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 12th lowest of 14 state primary schools in Didcot. Lower than 10% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 7.2 | 3.3 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 12th lowest of 14 state primary schools in Didcot. Lower than 16% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 2.3% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 4th highest of 14 state primary schools in Didcot. Higher than 79% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 23.2 | 20.4 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 14th highest of 14 state primary schools in Didcot. Higher than 11% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 8.1 | 10.0 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 10th highest of 13 state primary schools in Didcot. Higher than 60% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 15.4% | 16.3%* | 14.4%* |
Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby primary schools
- Northbourne CofE Primary School 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2015, before conversion), confirmed 2022 · 56% met expected standard (KS2)
- Manor Primary School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 53% met expected standard (KS2)
- All Saints CofE Primary School 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019, before conversion) · 75% met expected standard (KS2)
- Hagbourne CofE Primary School 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2015, before conversion) · 73% met expected standard (KS2)
- Ladygrove Park Primary School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 70% met expected standard (KS2)
- Aureus Primary School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2022) · 78% met expected standard (KS2)
- Stephen Freeman Primary School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019, before conversion) · 62% met expected standard (KS2)
- Didcot Primary Academy 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2019), confirmed 2024 · 80% met expected standard (KS2)
- Sires Hill Primary Academy 1.3 miles · Ofsted: No graded inspection
- Blewbury CofE Primary School 2.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 27% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Willowcroft Community School's Ofsted rating?
Willowcroft Community School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 24 March 2015. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 6 March 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
How did Willowcroft Community School do in its SATs?
In 2024/25, 69% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 7 points above the England average of 62%.
Would parents recommend Willowcroft Community School?
88% of the 76 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend Willowcroft Community School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Willowcroft Community School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 60 families put Willowcroft Community School as their first choice for 58 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 56 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 139770.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 1 January 2024 to 6 January 2025.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.