Holbrook Primary School

Holbrook Primary School is a smaller-than-average primary school that performs strongly across most areas. Safeguarding standards are met, and inspectors judged attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, and leadership and governance to be at strong standard. Attendance is a standout strength, with rates consistently above national averages and persistent absence exceptionally low. Behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent, and pupils benefit from a broad, ambitious 'River of Knowledge' curriculum, highly effective early years provision, and an inclusive ethos that supports pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils well. The main area for further development is achievement, particularly mathematics. Reading and writing outcomes are high, but mathematics is not yet at the same standard: disadvantaged pupils' mathematics outcomes are below national averages and show a negative disadvantage gap. The school's next step is to continue driving improvements in mathematics so pupils achieve equally well as they do in reading and writing. Personal development and wellbeing are graded at expected standard, although the report describes a rich, inclusive programme with extensive enrichment and strong pastoral support. Holbrook is part of The Partnership of Birchwood & Holbrook Primary Schools and has a low proportion of disadvantaged pupils (9.34% eligible for free school meals) and low location deprivation. Inspectors spoke with leaders, governors and the virtual school, and noted that the school uses one unregistered alternative provision. Overall, this is a school with many strong features, clear strategic leadership, and a focused improvement priority in mathematics.

Strengths

• Attendance is consistently above national averages and persistent absence is exceptionally low.
• Behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent, with warm, respectful relationships and no bullying reported.
• The bespoke 'River of Knowledge' curriculum is broad, ambitious and carefully sequenced to build on prior learning.
• Early years provision is highly effective, with secure phonics, strong communication and excellent progress from starting points.
• Inclusion is a significant strength, with personalised support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils.
• Leadership and governance are highly effective, reflective and strategic, with robust monitoring systems.
• Reading is a particular strength, with high outcomes and strong vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.
• Personal development is rich and inclusive, with extensive enrichment, pupil leadership roles and strong pastoral support.
• Staff wellbeing is prioritised, contributing to high morale, collaboration and professional commitment.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture of safeguarding.

Areas for Improvement

• Achievement overall is at expected standard, with mathematics the main area requiring further improvement.
• Mathematics outcomes are lower than the school's strong outcomes in reading and writing.
• Disadvantaged pupils' mathematics outcomes are below national averages and show a negative disadvantage gap.
• The school's next steps require continued focus on mathematics so pupils achieve as well as in reading and writing.

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 Holbrook Primary School attended 97.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.0% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Holbrook 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 Holbrook Primary School had 20.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.5% 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, 12.1% of pupils at Holbrook Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.8% 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 Holbrook Primary School received £6,153 and spent £6,482 for each of its 182 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £162,000 (£893 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).

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All schools in Ipswich · Suffolk local authority: places and applications

What is Holbrook Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Holbrook Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Holbrook Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Holbrook Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Holbrook Primary School have?

Holbrook Primary School has 182 pupils on roll.

What age range does Holbrook Primary School cover?

Holbrook Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Holbrook Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Holbrook Primary School?

Holbrook Primary School is at The Street, Holbrook, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP9 2PZ.