Elsworth CofE VA Primary School

About Elsworth CofE VA Primary School

Elsworth CofE VA Primary School is a small Church of England primary in South Cambridgeshire, within the Cambridgeshire local authority. It sits among 210 state primary schools in the LA, and its most recent ranking places it 125th — meaning it falls in the bottom half of the local league table. For context, the top-performing peers nearby include Histon and Impington Brook Primary School, Caldecote Primary School, and Abbots Ripton CofE Primary School, all of which score notably higher on the same KS2 metric. The school itself is rated Good by Ofsted, a grade it has held consistently across both its 2013 graded inspection and its most recent ungraded inspection in 2023, where inspectors confirmed it remains Good. With 130 pupils against a capacity of 140, it is a genuinely small village school, and its 7.7 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average, reflecting the relatively affluent local area.

Academically, Elsworth’s KS2 results for the 2023/24 year show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined is 53 per cent, which is below the Cambridgeshire LA average of 58 per cent. The school’s ranking on this metric places it 40th out of 55 schools in South Cambridgeshire, and in the bottom 50 per cent nationally. However, individual subject results are stronger: 82 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in writing, and 76 per cent in maths, while reading sits at 65 per cent. Average scaled scores are 106 in reading and 107 in maths, both slightly above the national benchmark of 100. The proportion reaching the higher standard is 12 per cent across all three subjects, with 35 per cent hitting that level in maths and reading individually. There is no progress score data available, so it is not possible to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for its size, including a library, sports hall, gymnasium, ICT suite, sensory room and a chapel, reflecting its Church of England foundation. Sports provision covers tennis, netball, swimming and gymnastics, while clubs include art, choir and book club. SEND support is broad, covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, autism and social and emotional mental health. Admissions for 2025/26 show the school is oversubscribed: 33 applications for 17 places, with all 17 first-preference applicants offered a spot, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.94. This suggests strong local demand, but families outside the immediate catchment may find it competitive. Elsworth suits parents who want a small, faith-based village primary with a Good Ofsted rating and a broad SEND offer, but who are comfortable with KS2 outcomes that sit below the LA average.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Elsworth CofE VA Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents