Place Farm Primary Academy

About Place Farm Primary Academy

Place Farm Primary Academy sits comfortably above the Suffolk local authority average for Key Stage 2 outcomes, with 73% of its pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the LA average of 58%. That 15-point gap is significant and places the school in the top 25% nationally for this metric, ranked 8th out of 44 primary schools in West Suffolk. The school also outperforms the LA average on individual subjects: 83% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, 85% in writing and 77% in maths. While these figures are strong, the proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects sits at 17%, which is a more modest figure and suggests the school is particularly effective at moving children to the expected level rather than pushing a large cohort into the top tier. Still, for a school where 31.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, these results represent solid academic value.

The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2022 rated it Good overall, with two areas judged Outstanding: personal development and behaviour and attitudes. This is a notable improvement on the previous inspection in 2017, where personal development was not separately graded but the overall effectiveness was also Good. The early years provision remains Good, and leadership and management is Good. Average scores in reading (106) and maths (104) are both above the national benchmark of 100, and the school’s ranking in the East of England places it in the top 20% regionally. The inspection report highlights that pupils behave well and develop strong personal skills, which aligns with the Outstanding grades in those categories. For parents looking at academic outcomes, the school is clearly delivering above-average results in a challenging context, though it is not among the very highest-achieving primaries in the county.

Place Farm is a three-form entry primary with a nursery, offering places for children from age 3. It was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 86 applications for 52 places, with 49 first-preference offers made. That oversubscription ratio of 1.65 suggests healthy local demand. The school provides a broad range of sports including cricket, netball, swimming and gymnastics, plus clubs such as coding, book club and gardening. Facilities include a library, playing fields, music rooms and a chapel. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder and physical disabilities. This makes it a strong option for families in West Suffolk who want a well-regarded state primary with good results, strong pastoral care and a wide extracurricular offer, particularly those whose children may need additional support.

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