Shotley Community Primary School

Shotley Community Primary School has been evaluated as 'Good' across all key areas, marking a positive trajectory in its first inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic. The school demonstrates notable strengths in establishing a caring environment where pupils exhibit responsibility and kindness, as well as effective leadership and stable staffing that fosters collaborative improvement efforts. Leaders have successfully implemented a structured curriculum and a new phonics programme, which has positively impacted pupils' learning outcomes. However, challenges persist regarding attendance and identifying students who are struggling academically.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate responsibility and kindness through various school roles.
• Behaviour has improved significantly, with pupils exhibiting good conduct.
• Leaders have effectively implemented new curriculum strategies.
• Strong communication between trustees and local governors supports school improvement.
• Assessments are generally effective in informing teaching and learning.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers struggle to identify and support pupils who are falling behind.
• Leaders have not effectively addressed persistent absenteeism among some pupils.

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 Shotley Community Primary School attended 92.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.4% 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, 8.3% of pupils at Shotley Community 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 Shotley Community Primary School had 15.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 63.8% 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, 9.9% of pupils at Shotley Community Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.4% 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 Shotley Community Primary School received £9,816 and spent £8,557 for each of its 96 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £34,000 (£350 per pupil).

Across all 16 schools of Asset Education, income was £7,219 and spending £6,496 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 Ipswich · Suffolk local authority: places and applications

Shotley Community Primary School is part of Asset Education, which runs 16 schools. The nearest others:

• Stutton Church of England Primary School Ipswich
• Cliff Lane Primary School Ipswich
• Waldringfield Primary School Woodbridge
• St Helen's Primary School Ipswich
• The Oaks Primary School Ipswich
• Castle Hill Infant School Ipswich
• Castle Hill Junior School Ipswich
• Hollesley Primary School Woodbridge
• The Beeches Community Primary School Ipswich
• Ringshall School Stowmarket

What is Shotley Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Shotley Community Primary School is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Shotley Community Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Shotley Community Primary School was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Shotley Community Primary School have?

Shotley Community Primary School has 81 pupils on roll.

What age range does Shotley Community Primary School cover?

Shotley Community Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 9% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Shotley Community Primary School?

Shotley Community Primary School is at Main Road, Shotley, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP9 1NR.