Voluntary controlled school · Suffolk

Bures Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

4–11Ages
161Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
124692URN

Nayland Road, Bures, CO8 5BX · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Feb 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

close to Suffolk median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Suffolk

40 applications for 22 places · 69th of 165 in Suffolk

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

50%met the expected standard

Suffolk 60% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 2 February 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.8applications per place, Reception

close to Suffolk median (1.8) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

40 applications · 22 places offered · 21 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.8
2025 1.9; Suffolk median median 1.8
2024 1.6; Suffolk median median 1.8
2023 2.0; Suffolk median median 1.8
2022 1.4; Suffolk median median 1.8
2021 1.5; Suffolk median median 1.9
2020 1.5; Suffolk median median 1.7
2019 1.5; Suffolk median median 1.8
2018 2.0; Suffolk median median 1.8
2017 1.5; Suffolk median median 1.8
2016 2.0; Suffolk median median 1.9
2015 1.7; Suffolk median median 1.9
2014 1.6; Suffolk median median 1.9

This school
Suffolk median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	22	40	1.8	21	0.95
Sep 2025	18	35	1.9	17	0.94
Sep 2024	30	49	1.6	28	0.93
Sep 2023	20	39	2.0	19	0.95
Sep 2022	29	40	1.4	28	0.97
Sep 2021	29	42	1.5	27	0.93
Sep 2020	23	34	1.5	22	0.96
Sep 2019	29	43	1.5	29	1.00
Sep 2018	25	50	2.0	25	1.00
Sep 2017	28	41	1.5	28	1.00
Sep 2016	29	59	2.0	38	1.31
Sep 2015	29	50	1.7	26	0.90
Sep 2014	27	42	1.6	27	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 67% · Writing 73% · Maths 57% → all three 50% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard50%165th of 223 in Suffolk

Suffolk 60% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard67%

Suffolk 76% England 78%

Higher standard50%

Suffolk 32% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard73%

Suffolk 73% England 75%

Greater depth7%

Suffolk 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard57%

Suffolk 73% England 77%

Higher standard17%

Suffolk 21% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Suffolk median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	50%	3%	106	102
2023/24	64%	11%	107	104
2022/23	55%	3%	104	102

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Bures Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

1.8applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
St John the Baptist Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Pebmarsh
5.3 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.3applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Chappel CofE Controlled Primary School
5.7 km · Essex

Serious weaknesses Inadequate2022

2.5applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Nayland Primary School
6.2 km · Suffolk

Standards maintained2025

2.4applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
Fordham All Saints CofE Voluntary Controlled Primary School
6.3 km · Essex

Serious weaknesses Inadequate2022

2.7applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Wells Hall Primary School
6.3 km · Suffolk

2026

1.4applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
Colne Engaine Church of England Primary School
6.5 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.5applications per place 28%met the SATs standard
Earls Colne Primary School and Nursery
7.1 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

1.9applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Pot Kiln Primary School
7.3 km · Suffolk

Remains Good2022

1.6applications per place 47%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary controlled school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 124692 · 935/3009
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 210 pupils · 161 on roll
Free school meals: 11.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Nayland Road, Bures, CO8 5BX
Local authority: Suffolk · Babergh

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources