The Pines Primary School

About The Pines Primary School

The Pines Primary School in West Suffolk is a state primary for mixed genders aged 3 to 11, and its most recent Key Stage 2 results paint a mixed picture against the Suffolk local authority average. The LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined is 58 per cent, but at The Pines, that figure sits at 41 per cent. That is a notable gap, and it places the school in the bottom half of primary schools in the West Suffolk area, ranking 40th out of 44. However, the picture is more nuanced when you look at individual subjects. In reading, 76 per cent of pupils hit the expected standard, and the average reading score of 104 is solid. Maths tells a similar story, with 65 per cent reaching the expected level and an average score of 100. The school's overall Ofsted rating is Good, awarded after its most recent graded inspection in December 2022, with all key areas — quality of education, behaviour, personal development, leadership and early years provision — judged Good.

The school's performance at the higher standard is more limited. No pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, and in writing, no pupils reached the higher threshold at all. In maths, just 6 per cent hit the higher standard, while in reading, 29 per cent did. The school's ranking reflects this: nationally, it sits in the bottom 50 per cent of primaries, at the 90th percentile by its ranking score of 41. Compared with the top-performing peers in Suffolk, such as Stratford St Mary Primary School with a ranking score of 92, the gap is wide. The school has 244 pupils on roll, which exceeds its stated capacity of 210, and it is heavily oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 84 total applications for 29 places, with 38 first-preference applications and 25 first-preference offers. That oversubscription ratio of 2.9 suggests strong local demand, even if the headline academic metrics lag the LA average.

Facilities include an outdoor playground, sports hall, playing fields, dining hall, gymnasium and a sensory room, and the school offers clubs such as Eco Club, Chess, Choir and Film Club. Sports on offer include gymnastics, athletics, swimming and tennis. The school has a nursery provision and a broad range of SEND support, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a practical choice for families in West Suffolk who need a local primary with strong SEND provision and a Good Ofsted rating, but who are comfortable with academic outcomes that sit below the county average. The oversubscription figures suggest it remains a popular option, particularly for those prioritising proximity and support over headline exam scores.

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