Voluntary controlled school · Suffolk

Walsham-le-Willows Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

4–11Ages
117Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
124717URN

Wattisfield Road, Walsham-le-Willows, Bury St Edmunds, IP31 3BD · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 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

21 applications for 12 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

56%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 · 28 March 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)

21 applications · 12 places offered · 12 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.8
2025 1.5; Suffolk median median 1.8
2024 1.6; Suffolk median median 1.8
2023 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.8
2022 1.6; Suffolk median median 1.8
2021 1.5; Suffolk median median 1.9
2020 1.1; Suffolk median median 1.7
2019 1.1; Suffolk median median 1.8
2018 1.5; Suffolk median median 1.8
2017 1.4; Suffolk median median 1.8
2016 1.6; Suffolk median median 1.9
2015 1.5; Suffolk median median 1.9
2014 1.4; Suffolk median median 1.9

More applications per place than the Suffolk median in 1 of 13 years.

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	12	21	1.8	12	1.00
Sep 2025	14	21	1.5	14	1.00
Sep 2024	20	31	1.6	20	1.00
Sep 2023	11	20	1.8	11	1.00
Sep 2022	13	21	1.6	13	1.00
Sep 2021	16	24	1.5	15	0.94
Sep 2020	15	16	1.1	15	1.00
Sep 2019	17	18	1.1	16	0.94
Sep 2018	19	29	1.5	21	1.11
Sep 2017	21	29	1.4	25	1.19
Sep 2016	20	32	1.6	22	1.10
Sep 2015	15	22	1.5	15	1.00
Sep 2014	20	28	1.4	23	1.15

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 72% · Writing 67% · Maths 61% → all three 56% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard56%142nd of 223 in Suffolk

Suffolk 60% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard72%

Suffolk 76% England 78%

Higher standard50%

Suffolk 32% England 33%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard67%

Suffolk 73% England 75%

Greater depth22%

Suffolk 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard61%

Suffolk 73% England 77%

Higher standard44%

Suffolk 21% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (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	56%	22%	108	107
2023/24	69%	19%	108	107
2022/23	50%	5%	104	104

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

Walsham-le-Willows Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

1.8applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Stanton Primary School
3.9 km · Suffolk

Remains Good2024

1.5applications per place
St Botolph's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
6.1 km · Suffolk

Good2023

1.5applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Barningham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
6.2 km · Suffolk

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.9applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Bacton Primary School
6.6 km · Suffolk

Good2023

1.7applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
Gislingham Church of England Primary School
6.8 km · Suffolk

Good2024

1.6applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Bardwell Church of England Primary School
6.8 km · Suffolk

2026

2.5applications per place 43%met the SATs standard
Hopton Church of England Primary Academy
7.2 km · Suffolk

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.8applications per place
Ixworth Church of England Primary School
7.2 km · Suffolk

2026

2.1applications per place 40%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: 124717 · 935/3064
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 140 pupils · 117 on roll
Free school meals: 17.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Wattisfield Road, Walsham-le-Willows, Bury St Edmunds, IP31 3BD
Local authority: Suffolk · Mid Suffolk

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