Exning Primary School

Exning Primary School is performing very well overall. Inclusion is a standout strength: staff have deep SEND expertise, adapt learning precisely, and support pupils in the school's SEN unit, The Hive, to make excellent progress from their starting points. Leadership and governance are also particularly strong, with a clear inclusive vision, effective trust oversight and a thoughtful approach to developing staff expertise across the trust. Pupils achieve well. Year 6 outcomes are typically above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics, children in Reception get a strong start, and attendance is above national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. Behaviour is excellent, pupils are highly supportive of one another, and the curriculum and teaching are strong, with clear explanations, effective modelling and a broad range of extra-curricular experiences. The school is part of the Eastern Education Group Trust and has a SEN unit for up to 12 pupils in Reception and key stage 1; the proportion of pupils with EHC plans is well above average. Safeguarding standards are met. No significant weaknesses were identified; the main next step is for leaders to continue evaluating and refining practice so that the highest standards are sustained.

Strengths

• Highly expert SEND provision, including precise adaptations and strong progress for pupils in The Hive.
• Inclusion is central to school life, with strong work with parents, carers and external agencies.
• Leadership and governance are particularly strong, with high expectations and effective trust oversight.
• Pupils achieve well, with Year 6 outcomes typically above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Children in Reception get a strong start, including rapid progress in early reading and phonics.
• Attendance is above national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
• Pupils' behaviour is excellent; they are self-disciplined, supportive and welcoming.
• Teaching is precise and clear, with strong subject knowledge and effective modelling.
• A broad, engaging curriculum with rich extra-curricular opportunities, including clubs, sports, theatre and career awareness.
• Strong personal development, with pupils confident, independent and knowledgeable about safety and democracy.
• Staff wellbeing and workload are well considered, and parents are highly positive about the school.

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 Exning Primary School attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.1% 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 Exning 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 Exning Primary School had 16.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.2% 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, 16.1% of pupils at Exning Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 12.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has a SEN unit with 17 pupils.

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 Exning Primary School received £8,970 and spent £10,828 for each of its 229 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £384,000 (£1,675 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of Eastern Education Group Trust, income was £10,066 and spending £10,047 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 Newmarket · Suffolk local authority: places and applications

Exning Primary School is part of Eastern Education Group Trust, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• Abbeygate Sixth Form College Bury St Edmunds
• Priory School Bury St Edmunds
• Stanton Primary School Bury St. Edmunds
• Chalk Hill Sudbury
• Woolpit Primary Academy Bury St Edmunds
• One Sixth Form College Ipswich
• Stone Lodge Academy Ipswich
• Duke of Lancaster School Fakenham
• Sunrise Academy Lowestoft

What is Exning Primary School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Exning Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Exning Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Exning Primary School have?

Exning Primary School has 223 pupils on roll.

What age range does Exning Primary School cover?

Exning Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

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

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Exning Primary School?

Exning Primary School is at Oxford Street, Exning, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 7EW.