The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School

The Rackham Church of England Primary School is a welcoming, inclusive primary where pupils are generally motivated, respectful and clear about the school’s high expectations. Inspectors found the school performing well across the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and leaders have made rapid improvements, with effective governance and strong safeguarding arrangements. Strengths include a broad and balanced curriculum that is well delivered in most subjects, a strong reading and phonics programme, high-quality SEND provision, improving attendance, and a personal development offer focused on emotional literacy, inclusivity and diversity. Pupils benefit from leadership roles and artistic and musical opportunities. Areas for improvement are limited but specific: in a few foundation subjects the curriculum is new and not yet fully effective, so pupils struggle to remember key knowledge and make links; and the recently integrated pre-school curriculum is not aligned closely enough with Reception, so children are not as well prepared for the next stage. There is also some low-level disruption, although staff usually address it and incidents are reducing.

Strengths

• Welcoming and inclusive school community
• High expectations of pupils
• Pupils are respectful and listen to different opinions
• Broad and balanced curriculum
• Strong reading culture and phonics provision
• High-quality SEND provision
• Most pupils behave well
• Attendance has improved dramatically
• Personal development focused on emotional literacy
• Inclusive and diverse school ethos
• Artistic and musical opportunities for pupils
• Effective governors who provide support and challenge
• Rapid improvements made over a short period
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum implementation in a few foundation subjects is less effective
• In some new foundation subjects, pupils struggle to remember key knowledge and build links
• Pre-school curriculum is not aligned closely enough with Reception
• Some low-level disruption to learning

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School attended 93.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 5.6% of pupils at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School had 21.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 23.1% of pupils at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School received £8,103 and spent £7,822 for each of its 291 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £165,000 (£568 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Ely · Cambridgeshire local authority: places and applications

What is The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School have?

The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School has 307 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School cover?

The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 38% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School?

The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School is at Main Street, Witchford, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 2HQ.