St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a small rural primary in the Chorus Federation. Inspectors found a happy, inclusive school where pupils feel safe, behave well and attend regularly. Pupils benefit from a broad range of trips, visitors and clubs, and they take part in activities that build confidence and curiosity. The school has high expectations, and most pupils achieve well. Reading is a particular strength, with a well-planned phonics scheme, carefully matched books and robust checks on pupils' progress. Children in Reception get a solid start, including in early number work. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported, and staff adapt tasks carefully and work closely with parents.

Strengths

• Inclusive culture where all pupils, including those with SEND, take part in a wide range of activities
• Pupils are welcoming, kind and behave well, and they feel safe at school
• Strong reading provision, including a well-planned phonics scheme and books matched to pupils' ability
• Effective support for pupils with SEND, with careful task adaptation and close work with parents
• Children in Reception get a solid foundation for future learning, especially in early number
• A comprehensive PSHE curriculum that promotes pupils' personal development and well-being
• Leadership has a clear understanding of strengths and areas for development, and federation working supports staff
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not check pupils' knowledge and understanding well enough in lessons, so gaps and misconceptions are not always identified
• As a result, some pupils do not always secure the knowledge they should

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 St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.9% 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, 1.6% of pupils at St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary 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 St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School had 18.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 36.4% 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, 37.5% of pupils at St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.7% 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 2023–24 St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School received £6,674 and spent £6,966 for each of its 88 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £44,000 (£499 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 Sudbury · Essex local authority: places and applications

What is St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School have?

St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has 64 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School cover?

St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 60% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?

St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is at Church Road, Bulmer, Sudbury, Essex, CO10 7EH.