Elmswell Community Primary School
Oxer Close, Elmswell, Bury St Edmunds, IP30 9UEOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Elmswell Community Primary School is a primary school in Bury St Edmunds for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 357 schools in Suffolk. It ranks 6th of 32 primary schools in Bury St Edmunds. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in June 2016.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 15 June 2016, report published 15 July 2016
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 25 February 2025
The school provides an environment that puts its vision of 'nurturing a community of learners' at its heart. Pupils enjoy being part of that community and feel safe and happy. They know that staff will help them if they have any worries. Pupils know what bullying is and are confident that adults will sort it out for them on the rare occasions that it happens. Teachers have high expectations for pupils' learning. Pupils rise to this challenge. They achieve well overall. They enjoy learning their interesting curriculum, which is brought to life by trips and visitors. There is a consistent approach to behaviour in the school. In class, pupils listen carefully and engage well with their learning. They are polite and respectful to each other because that is how the staff treat them. Older pupils relish the opportunity to take on responsibilities, such as house captains and junior road safety officers and supporting lunchtimes in the 'calm corner' and as playleaders. This helps pupils to develop confidence and care for younger pupils. Pupils talk enthusiastically about residential visits in key stage 2 and see these as an important part of their journey through the school as they develop social skills and resilience.
What the school should improve
- In some subjects, teachers do not use information about what pupils know to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and inform future learning. This means that pupils are not able to build on their learning from what they already know. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment information effectively across all subjects to inform their teaching so that it helps pupils build a deep body of knowledge over time. This should be done in a way that does not add to teachers' workload.
- Some pupils do not have enough opportunities to revisit the transcription skills set out in the school's handwriting programme. As a result, the quality of pupils' writing does not always reflect the high standards the school expects. The school should ensure that pupils have opportunities to develop their transcription skills and fluency so that written work is of a consistently high standard across all year groups.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
41 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
383 pupils on roll, with places for 420
Schools near Elmswell Community Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woolpit Primary Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 29% met the expected standard |
| Crawford's Church of England Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 62% met the expected standard |
| Thurston Church of England Primary Academy | 2 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | 59% met the expected standard |
| Norton CEVC Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 83% met the expected standard |
| Rattlesden Church of England Primary Academy | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 75% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Richard Ratcliffe
- Phone
- 01359240261
- Address
- Oxer Close, Elmswell, Bury St Edmunds, IP30 9UE
- Local authority
- Suffolk
- URN
- 124534
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.