Great Finborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

About Great Finborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Great Finborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a rating it has held consistently across both its recent inspections. The school’s most telling academic metric comes from its Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 academic year, where 47% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That figure sits below the Suffolk local authority average of 58%, placing the school in the bottom half of primary schools in the county. In the Mid Suffolk district specifically, it ranks 31st out of 39 schools. The data suggests that while the school provides a solid overall education, its core academic outcomes at the end of primary are not as strong as many of its neighbours, and parents prioritising top-end results may want to look at higher-performing peers in the area.

Looking more closely at the individual subject scores, 65% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading and in writing, while 53% did so in maths. At the higher standard, just 6% achieved the higher benchmark across all three subjects, though 24% reached it in reading and 24% in writing. Average scores were 103 for reading and 99 for maths, the latter slightly below the national average of 100. Ofsted’s graded inspection gave the school Good marks across all five categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. The previous inspection in 2011 also rated overall effectiveness as Good, with early years provision at that time graded as Requires Improvement, so the 2022 report shows clear progress in that area. The school has no sixth form, as it is a primary school for ages 4 to 11.

The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, with 21 applications for 13 places and 12 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.62. It has a capacity of 150 but currently has 108 pupils on roll, so there is some room for growth. Facilities include a sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, music rooms, a chapel and a Forest School programme, with clubs covering drama, choir and gardening. Sports on offer include cricket, swimming, netball, athletics and rounders. The school has identified SEND provisions for pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health challenges, and autistic spectrum disorder. With its Church of England character and small village-school feel, Great Finborough is likely to suit families who value a broad, community-focused primary experience over top-tier academic rankings.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Great Finborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents