Elmswell Community Primary School

About Elmswell Community Primary School

Parents at Elmswell Community Primary School are broadly positive, with 80% of respondents to the most recent Parent View survey saying they would recommend the school to others. That survey, covering the period from September 2024 to September 2025, drew 44 responses and showed strong satisfaction in key areas: 91% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 89% felt their child is safe. The school is also popular locally. For the 2025/26 academic year, Elmswell received 62 first-preference applications for its 60 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.32. In total, there were 79 applications for those 60 spots, meaning the school is consistently a first choice for many families in the Mid Suffolk area. While most feedback is positive, there are some areas where parents are more divided: 27% disagreed that concerns are dealt with properly, and 22% disagreed that the school has high expectations for their child.

Academically, Elmswell performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 71% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Suffolk local authority average of 58%. The school also excels at stretching its pupils: 10% achieved the higher standard in all three subjects, and in reading specifically, 51% reached the higher standard. Average scores were strong too, with reading at 108 and maths at 106. Elmswell ranks 7th out of 39 primary schools in Mid Suffolk, placing it in the top 20% locally, and 3823rd nationally out of 13,686 schools. The school’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2016, rated it Good overall, with Good for leadership and management and Good for early years provision. A subsequent ungraded inspection in February 2025 confirmed that standards are being maintained.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a sports hall, playing fields, a library, music rooms, a sensory room and a forest school area. There are seven sports on offer, from football and cricket to gymnastics and cross country, plus clubs including book club, choir, art, gardening, coding and science club. For children with additional needs, Elmswell lists provisions for moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, visual impairment, physical disability and other difficulties. The school has a nursery for children from age 3 and a total capacity of 420, with 363 pupils currently on roll. With 17.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a broadly representative community. Elmswell is a good fit for families in and around the village who want a well-regarded local primary with strong academic results and a wide range of extracurricular opportunities.

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