Academy converter · Suffolk

Handford Hall Primary School

4–11Ages
360Pupils
PrimaryPhase
144212URN

57 Gatacre Road, Ipswich, IP1 2LQ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jan 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.2per place

0.4 above Suffolk median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Suffolk

67 applications for 30 places · 27th of 165 in Suffolk

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

62%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 · 19 January 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Inspection history

19 January 2023
Graded inspection: Good
12 February 2020
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Improving)

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

2.2applications per place, Reception

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

67 applications · 30 places offered · 29 named it first

2026 2.2; Suffolk median median 1.8
2025 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.8
2024 2.2; Suffolk median median 1.8
2023 1.7; Suffolk median median 1.8
2022 2.1; Suffolk median median 1.8
2021 2.1; Suffolk median median 1.9
2020 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.7
2019 2.1; Suffolk median median 1.8
2018 2.0; Suffolk median median 1.8
2017 1.5; Suffolk median median 1.8
2016 1.9; Suffolk median median 1.9; as the previous school
2015 2.6; Suffolk median median 1.9; as the previous school
2014 2.1; Suffolk median median 1.9; as the previous school

This school
Suffolk median

Dashed bars: as Handford Hall Primary School (URN 124643), the previous school.

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	30	67	2.2	29	0.97
Sep 2025	36	66	1.8	36	1.00
Sep 2024	33	71	2.2	31	0.94
Sep 2023	45	77	1.7	42	0.93
Sep 2022	36	77	2.1	35	0.97
Sep 2021	38	78	2.1	38	1.00
Sep 2020	45	80	1.8	37	0.82
Sep 2019	32	68	2.1	24	0.75
Sep 2018	44	86	2.0	33	0.75
Sep 2017	60	92	1.5	50	0.83
Sep 2016 *	45	84	1.9	52	1.16
Sep 2015 *	43	110	2.6	59	1.37
Sep 2014 *	45	95	2.1	53	1.18

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 66% · Writing 66% · Maths 70% → all three 62% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard62%107th of 223 in Suffolk

Suffolk 60% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard66%

Suffolk 76% England 78%

Higher standard32%

Suffolk 32% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard66%

Suffolk 73% England 75%

Greater depth26%

Suffolk 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard70%

Suffolk 73% England 77%

Higher standard23%

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	62%	19%	103	102
2023/24	72%	13%	105	105
2022/23	67%	12%	105	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

Handford Hall Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

2.2applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Ranelagh Primary School
0.7 km · Suffolk

Good2022

1.6applications per place 23%met the SATs standard
Springfield Junior School
0.7 km · Suffolk

Graded · no overall grade2025

49%met the SATs standard
Springfield Infant School and Nursery
0.7 km · Suffolk

2026

1.5applications per place
St Matthew's Church of England Primary School, Ipswich
0.8 km · Suffolk

Good2023

1.6applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
St Mark's Catholic Primary School
1.6 km · Suffolk

Good2023

2.0applications per place
St Margaret's CEVAP School, Ipswich
1.6 km · Suffolk

Remains Good · improving2024

2.0applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
The Oaks Primary School
1.8 km · Suffolk

Standards maintained2024

2.8applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Dale Hall Community Primary School
1.8 km · Suffolk

Remains Good2019

2.1applications per place 67%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: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 144212 · 935/2154
Trust: Orwell Multi Academy Trust
Capacity: 315 pupils · 360 on roll
Free school meals: 30.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 April 2017
Replaced: Handford Hall Primary School (URN 124643)
Address: 57 Gatacre Road, Ipswich, IP1 2LQ
Local authority: Suffolk · Ipswich

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