The Willows School is a special academy in Rotherham for children and young people aged 7 to 19. It supports speech and language and moderate learning.
- Ages 7–19
- 197 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2025)
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 7 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 197 (places for 150)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rachael Booth (Headteacher)
- Part of
- Nexus Multi Academy Trust
- Opened
- 1 September 2023
- Free school meals
- 57.5% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Rotherham
- School reference (URN)
- 149642
Needs it supports
2 needs: speech and language, moderate learning
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Rotherham (4)
Cognition and learning
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Rotherham (2)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Rotherham council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Report card, November 2025: Expected standard in 4 of 7 areas
Inspected in November 2025 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Post-16Expected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- SafeguardingMet
Contact and getting there
Locksley Drive, Thurcroft, Rotherham, S66 9NT
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Thurcroft Junior Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 7–11 0.1 miles
- Wickersley School and Sports College Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 2.0 miles
- Bramley Grange Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 2.3 miles
By need in Rotherham: Autism (7) · Speech and language (5) · SEMH (4) · Moderate learning (3) · Hearing (3) · Severe learning (2) · Dyslexia and SpLD (2) · Vision (2)
Questions about The Willows School
How do I get a place at The Willows School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult The Willows School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does The Willows School support?
Speech, language and communication and moderate learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does The Willows School take?
Aged 7 to 19, boys and girls.
What is The Willows School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is The Willows School?
Locksley Drive, Thurcroft, Rotherham, S66 9NT, in Rotherham.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.