SchoolScoresWillowfield School
Community school · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed
209 Blackhorse Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 6ND
020 8527 4065 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 20 January 2026 , published 19 April 2026.
In short: 6 expected, and safeguarding met.
Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. How report cards work.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| SafeguardingWhether pupils are kept safe. Met or not met. | Met |
| InclusionHow well the school supports disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
79 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026.
Waltham Forest comparisons use the 4 of its 18 state secondary schools with comparable results. The other 14 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 | Waltham Forest | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school 3rd highest of 4 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Waltham Forest. Higher than 22% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 65% | 73% | 83% |
| My child feels safe at this school 4th highest of 4 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Waltham Forest. Higher than 33% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 76% | 83% | 85% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 4th highest of 4 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Waltham Forest. Higher than 17% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 52% | 67% | 78% |
| Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 19 parents whose child had been bullied Higher than 34% of 344 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 37% | – | 43% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 66 parents who had raised a concern 3rd highest of 3 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Waltham Forest. Higher than 11% of 431 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 45% | 60% | 74% |
| My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 18 parents of children with SEND Higher than 20% of 356 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 39% | – | 63% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent 4th highest of 4 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Waltham Forest. Higher than 17% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 62%said yes | 73% | 83% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 8%). 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. Waltham Forest figures pool parents at the Waltham Forest 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. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25
175 pupils in this year group.
55% — 9 points above the Waltham Forest average, and 10 points above the England average.
| Measure | This school | Waltham Forest | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 55% | 46% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. | 46.1 | 45.3 | 46.1 |
| EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.1 |
Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.
Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
After Year 11
Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.
171 pupils in this year group.
94% — about the same as the Waltham Forest average, and 2 points above the England average.
| Measure | This school | Waltham Forest | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. | 94% | 93% | 92% |
| School sixth form | 23% | 35% | 34% |
| Sixth form college | 41% | 28% | 13% |
| Further education college | 28% | 26% | 37% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 1% | 3% |
| Work | 1% | 1% | 3% |
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| 91% | 94% |
Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. 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 Waltham Forest. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were fewer first-choice applications than places.
| Places offered | 200 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 124 |
| Of those, offered a place | 124 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 459 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.8 · 2025: 0.7 · 2026: 0.6
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 | Waltham Forest | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 11th highest of 17 state secondary schools in Waltham Forest. Higher than 66% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 33.8% | 34.3%* | 28.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan 9th highest of 17 state secondary schools in Waltham Forest. Higher than 79% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 4.5% | 4.6%* | 3.1% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 2nd highest of 17 state secondary schools in Waltham Forest. Higher than 86% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 19.8% | 12.3%* | 13.4% |
| English as an additional language 14th highest of 17 state secondary schools in Waltham Forest. Higher than 75% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 26.4% | 40.0%* | 19.2% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 15th lowest of 17 state secondary schools in Waltham Forest. Lower than 43% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England. | 8.8% | 7.6%* | 8.4% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 15th lowest of 17 state secondary schools in Waltham Forest. Lower than 24% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England. | 28.8% | 23.4%* | 23.4% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils Joint 9th lowest of 17 state secondary schools in Waltham Forest. Lower than 69% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England. | 8.6 | 10.8 | 21.2 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 8th lowest of 17 state secondary schools in Waltham Forest. Lower than 66% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England. | 4.9% | 6.2% | 7.3% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.22% | 0.23% |
| Pupils per teacher Joint 2nd highest of 17 state secondary schools in Waltham Forest. Higher than 67% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England. | 17.6 | 15.8 | 16.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 3rd highest of 17 state secondary schools in Waltham Forest. Higher than 68% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England. | 12.6 | 11.3 | 11.8 |
| Teachers who left during the year 4th highest of 17 state secondary schools in Waltham Forest. Higher than 84% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England. | 21.4% | 13.9%* | 14.2%* |
Comparisons are with secondary 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 secondary schools
- Big Creative Academy 0.2 miles · Ofsted: Not yet inspected
- Big Creative Independent School 0.5 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2025)
- Eden Girls' School, Waltham Forest 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2017), confirmed 2022 · 74% grade 5+ English and maths
- Kelmscott School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2016), confirmed 2025 · 38% grade 5+ English and maths
- Harris Academy Tottenham 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2017), confirmed 2023 · 56% grade 5+ English and maths
- Walthamstow School for Girls 1.1 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2018), confirmed 2024 · 73% grade 5+ English and maths
- Walthamstow Academy 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2022 · 54% grade 5+ English and maths
- Gladesmore Community School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 34% grade 5+ English and maths
- Holy Family Catholic School 1.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 43% grade 5+ English and maths
- Bnos Zion of Bobov 1.4 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Requires improvement (2024)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Willowfield School's Ofsted rating?
Willowfield School was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 20 January 2026. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 6 expected, and safeguarding was met.
How did Willowfield School do in its GCSEs?
In 2024/25, 55% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 10 points above the England average of 45%.
Would parents recommend Willowfield School?
62% of the 79 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026 said they would recommend Willowfield School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Willowfield School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 124 families put Willowfield School as their first choice for 200 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 124 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 103100.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 10 November 2025 to 6 April 2026.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, GCSEs 2024/25, After Year 11 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.