Chelmondiston Church of England Primary School
About Chelmondiston Church of England Primary School
Chelmondiston Church of England Primary School is a small state primary in the Suffolk village of Chelmondiston, within the Babergh district. It ranks 8th out of 34 primary schools in Babergh, placing it in the top quarter of its local authority for academic performance. Among its closest peers in the area, it sits behind Stratford St Mary Primary School, Somerleyton Primary School, and Wenhaston Primary School, which hold the top three spots in the local rankings. With just 124 pupils on roll, the school is significantly undersubscribed against its capacity of 140, yet it received 26 applications for 17 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 1.53 applicants per place. All 17 first-preference applicants were offered a spot, suggesting strong local demand despite the village setting. The school is led by headteacher Lesley Etchingham and operates as a Church of England school within the Suffolk local authority.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 Sept 2021Source: Ofsted, 7 Oct 2021. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
8Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Breakfast club
08:00-08:45
After-school care
15:15-16:15
Source: chelmondiston.suffolk.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Chelmondiston Church of England Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights