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.

Academically, Chelmondiston performs well above the Suffolk average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, compared to a local authority average of just 58%. The school’s reading and maths average scores were 107 and 106 respectively, both comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. A notable 35% of pupils achieved a higher standard in reading, and 20% did so in maths. Writing saw 15% reaching the higher standard, with 80% meeting the expected level. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2021, the school was rated Good across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This continues a consistent pattern of Good ratings, as the previous inspection in 2013 also judged overall effectiveness as Good.

The school offers a range of facilities including an ICT suite, library, gymnasium, music rooms, and a chapel. Sports provision covers athletics, netball, football, and tennis, while extracurricular clubs include science, chess, book club, and drama. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. With its strong academic outcomes, small village setting, and oversubscribed but accessible admissions, Chelmondiston suits families who value a Church of England primary with a solid track record in core subjects and a broad range of activities, particularly those living in or near the Babergh area. The school does not have a nursery or sixth form, and is a mixed, non-boarding state primary for children aged 4 to 11.

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