Hartest Church of England Primary School

Hartest Church of England Primary School has made significant improvements since its last inspection, moving from inadequate to a good overall effectiveness rating. The leadership, under the executive headteacher Amanda Woolmer, has been resilient and effective in fostering a trusting environment for pupils, parents, and staff. While pupils generally perform well academically and develop strong personal skills, there are notable concerns regarding persistent absenteeism among disadvantaged pupils, impacting their overall progress and well-being.

Strengths

• Strong leadership that fosters trust among the school community
• Pupils feel safe and supported in a caring school environment
• Effective reading programs that ensure pupils learn to read fluently
• Strong academic progress particularly noted in geography and reading
• A wide range of extracurricular activities enhancing personal development

Areas for Improvement

• Some staff need to improve on using assessment effectively to inform teaching
• Persistent absenteeism among disadvantaged pupils affecting their 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 Hartest Church of England Primary School attended 91.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 29.7% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Hartest Church of England 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 Hartest Church of England Primary School had 14.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 40.0% 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, 28.6% of pupils at Hartest Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.8% 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 2024–25 Hartest Church of England Primary School received £12,002 and spent £12,375 for each of its 41 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £144,000 (£3,501 per pupil).

Across all 21 schools of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust, income was £7,618 and spending £7,433 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bury St Edmunds · Suffolk local authority: places and applications

Hartest Church of England Primary School is part of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• Long Melford Church of England Primary School Sudbury
• Tudor Church of England Primary School, Sudbury Sudbury
• All Saints Church of England Primary School, Newmarket Newmarket
• Stoke-by-Nayland Church of England Primary School Nr Colchester
• St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hadleigh Ipswich
• Elmsett Church of England Primary School Ipswich
• Hintlesham and Chattisham Church of England Primary School Ipswich
• Sproughton Church of England Primary School Ipswich
• Wetheringsett Church of England Primary School Stowmarket
• St Matthew's Church of England Primary School, Ipswich Ipswich

What is Hartest Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Hartest Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was Hartest Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Hartest Church of England Primary School was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Hartest Church of England Primary School have?

Hartest Church of England Primary School has 42 pupils on roll.

What age range does Hartest Church of England Primary School cover?

Hartest Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Hartest Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Hartest Church of England Primary School?

Hartest Church of England Primary School is at The Row, Hartest, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP29 4DL.