Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery

Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery at a glance

Located in Colchester, Essex, Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery is a primary school, classified by the DfE as a sponsor-led academy. The school educates roughly 180 pupils aged 3 to 11. Ofsted judged the school to be 'Good' at its most recent inspection. 50% of its pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, below the national average (national figure: 61%). The proportion reaching the expected standard has risen by 7.0 percentage points year on year. On our composite score, which combines the DfE attainment measures above, this places it in the lower half of primary schools nationally.

Pupils achieved an average scaled score of 105 in reading and 105 in maths (national averages are about 105 and 104). Getting a place is straightforward: for the September 2026 intake every family who made Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery their first choice was offered one of its 9 Reception places. Overall pupil absence was 9.7%. There are about 15.6 pupils per teacher. The school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage: about 38% of pupils have been eligible for free school meals in the last six years, compared with roughly 24% nationally — useful context when reading the results above. When you visit, you might ask how the school stretches its higher-attaining pupils and supports those who need to catch up. This overview is generated automatically from the latest published DfE performance tables and Ofsted data; figures are rounded, and you can check the originals via the official links above.