Kelsale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Carlton Road, Kelsale, Saxmundham, IP17 2NPOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Kelsale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a primary school in Saxmundham for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 357 schools in Suffolk. It ranks 1st of 6 primary schools in Saxmundham. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in June 2013.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 19 June 2013, report published 5 July 2013
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 28 September 2022
Kelsale Church of England Primary School is a warm and welcoming place. Pupils and staff stay true to the school vision that 'together, we believe, we learn, laugh and shine'. Pupils meet the high expectations staff have of their learning and behaviour. Pupils enjoy their lessons and try hard. They describe how they become good learners by following the school's 5 Cs: to be curious learners, creators, collaborators, communicators and critical thinkers. As a result, pupils flourish. Pupils' parents recognise that leaders and staff ensure that all pupils receive a strong start to their schooling. Pupils are kind, well behaved and respectful. They are proud to be members of this highly inclusive school. They look after each other. Pupils enjoy the opportunity to become school councillors and relish the responsibilities this brings. This includes interviewing prospective members of staff. Older pupils speak with pride about acting as role models for younger pupils. Pupils feel safe at school because staff listen to them. This helps forge positive, trusting relationships between pupils and the staff. Pupils are confident in staff members' ability to resolve issues. Pupils know if bullying occurs, teachers will deal with it firmly and thoughtfully. Therefore, bullying is rare.
What the school should improve
- Leaders have developed a curriculum which builds sequentially on knowledge from the early years. However, where some subject leaders lack knowledge, they do not know how to check if the curriculum in the early years is working well. Therefore, they do not know if the curriculum in the early years is strengthening children's start to their education as well as it could. Leaders should arrange appropriate training and support to address this, helping leaders at all levels to understand how best to monitor staff's implementation of the curriculum in the early years.
- In a few subjects, teachers do not use assessment as effectively as they could. They are not consistently able to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders should improve teachers' use of assessment so that it is consistently strong across the curriculum.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
27 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
166 pupils on roll, with places for 166
Schools near Kelsale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saxmundham Primary School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 63% met the expected standard |
| Benhall St Mary's Church of England Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 56% met the expected standard |
| Yoxford & Peasenhall Primary Academy | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 30% met the expected standard |
| Middleton Community Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Snape Primary School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 43% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary controlled school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mr Mark Taylor
- Phone
- 01728602297
- Address
- Carlton Road, Kelsale, Saxmundham, IP17 2NP
- Local authority
- Suffolk
- URN
- 124735
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.