Great Sampford Community Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 4 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Finchingfield Road, Great Sampford, Saffron Walden, CB10 2RLOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Great Sampford Community Primary School is a primary school in Saffron Walden for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 604 schools in Essex. It ranks 6th of 11 primary schools in Saffron Walden. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in April 2023.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 25 April 2023, report published 14 June 2023

Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 April 2023

Pupils, and children in early years, flourish at this welcoming school. There is a deep sense of togetherness. Pupils show care and consideration towards each other. They enjoy spending time together and playing with their friends at breaktimes. Pupils who are new to the school are supported to settle in quickly. Relationships between pupils and staff are strong. Adults expect the very best from pupils. They respond to these high expectations by working hard in class. Pupils know that staff care for them. Leaders deal with any concerns that are raised by pupils quickly and effectively. This includes any incidents of bullying. Pupils value the support that staff provide, particularly with their emotional health and well-being. Pupils feel safe. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), play an active part in school life. Pupils enjoy the extracurricular clubs on offer. They enjoy the roles and responsibilities they have and the fact that they are helping to improve the school. Parents and carers are a valued part of the school community. They appreciate the support that their children receive. Parents know that they can approach staff if they have a concern and that they will listen and take action.

What the school should improve

  • A small number of younger pupils who have difficulty with reading find their reading books too hard to read. This prevents them from applying their knowledge of phonics successfully and means that they are unable to read with fluency. They do not learn to read as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that they enable these pupils to develop their reading fluency more securely by providing them with reading books that more closely match their phonic knowledge.
  • In a small number of subjects, leaders have not precisely identified the essential knowledge that they want pupils to learn. As a result, some pupils' learning in these subjects does not build on what they have learned before. Leaders should finalise the design of the curriculum in these remaining subjects, so that teachers are clear about the knowledge pupils should know and remember.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

12 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths75%

75%, 13 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths17%

17%, 9 percentage points above the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score108

108, 2 above the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score103

103, 2 below the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score103

103, 2 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

79 pupils on roll, with places for 105

Eligible for free school meals7.6%

7.6%, 18.9 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language2.5%

2.5%, 19.1 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support16.5%

16.5%, 1.7 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan7.6%

7.6%, 1.6 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near Great Sampford Community Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Radwinter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School3 milesOfsted: Good54% met the expected standard
Finchingfield St John the Baptist CofE Primary Academy3 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Wimbish Primary Academy3 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Thaxted Primary School3 milesOfsted: Good64% met the expected standard
Great Bardfield Primary School4 milesReport card: Expected standard45% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Community school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
4 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Miss Amy Reis
Address
Finchingfield Road, Great Sampford, Saffron Walden, CB10 2RL
Local authority
Essex
URN
114970

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.