The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
This is a village primary serving families around Ellingham, near Bungay, with a small-school feel and mixed year groups. It is part of the Ellingham VC and Woodton Primary Schools Federation, and the federation model matters here because it shapes leadership, staffing and shared curriculum work across the two schools.
The school is Church of England voluntary controlled, and the faith dimension is present as ethos rather than as a narrow intake. In practical terms, families should expect Christian values and collective worship to be a normal part of school life, while day-to-day admissions are run through the local authority in the standard Norfolk coordinated system.
On outcomes, the most recent published Key Stage 2 picture is broadly positive in the core combined measure, with strengths that look clearer in reading than in GPS and some of the “higher standard” indicators. The school’s England rank position for primary outcomes, as measured by FindMySchool, sits below the middle of the pack, which is an important context point when comparing it with nearby alternatives.
The school’s small size is not a minor detail, it is the defining feature of daily life. With a modest roll relative to capacity, pupils tend to know one another well across year groups, and staff can keep a close eye on confidence, friendships and emerging needs. The Norfolk local authority schoolfinder entry explicitly flags mixed year groups, which is typical for schools of this scale and often helps children build independence earlier because routines are shared across ages.
Leadership is structured at federation level. The current executive headteacher is Mrs Dawn Thomas, and the federation approach has a practical “shared practice” feel rather than a distant governance arrangement.
Publicly available pages do not reliably state an appointment date for the executive headteacher, so parents who care about leadership tenure should treat this as a “ask on a visit” question rather than assume a start year.
Pastoral culture comes through most clearly in the inspection narrative. Pupils are described as polite and supportive; bullying is described as rare, with pupils confident that an adult will listen and help. That combination, low-level social safety plus accessible adults, is often what parents mean when they say a primary “feels secure”.
The same inspection also points to an area that can matter a lot in small schools: behaviour consistency. Occasional disruption is described as being addressed quickly by staff, but pupils wanted lessons to be “even better” so that disruption is less likely to happen, and the report identifies a need to strengthen routines and expectations so behaviour reduces over time rather than being repeatedly managed. For parents, the implication is straightforward: if your child thrives on highly predictable classroom routines, ask how behaviour expectations are taught and reinforced across mixed-age classes, and what has changed since the inspection.
As a Church of England school, you should expect an explicitly Christian framing for values and community life. In most voluntary controlled primaries, that means collective worship and church links, alongside a curriculum that still follows the national requirements and welcomes families with a range of beliefs. The right question to ask is not “is it faith-based?”, it is “how central is it?”. For many families, this feels like a calm moral framework rather than something demanding.
The most useful way to read a small-school data profile is to focus on direction and balance rather than treat any single percentage as destiny. Cohorts can be tiny; a handful of pupils can move a headline figure. That said, the figures provide enough to form a grounded view of attainment.
In 2024, 65% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. The England average is 62%, so this sits above the England average on the core combined benchmark.
At the higher standard, 12% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. That is a positive sign for stretch at the top end, even though small cohorts mean it may not represent a stable long-term pattern.
The scaled scores are: reading 105, mathematics 103, and GPS 103. These are the kinds of numbers that often indicate a “steady, slightly-above” profile, with reading looking like a relative strength within the trio.
Looking at expected-standard breakdowns: reading expected is 65%, maths expected is 71%, and GPS expected is 59%. That “maths higher than GPS” split is common, and it usually points to a practical improvement target around writing mechanics, spelling and accuracy in sentence work.
Writing greater depth is recorded as 0%. In a tiny cohort this can occur even where writing is improving, simply because “greater depth” is a high bar and pupil composition varies. Still, it is a helpful prompt for families with highly able writers: ask what deliberate enrichment exists for ambitious writing, and how feedback and editing are taught.
On the FindMySchool primary outcomes ranking, the school is ranked 10,313rd in England, with a Bungay local rank of 4 (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). In percentile terms this sits below England average, within the lower portion of the national distribution.
This does not contradict the combined expected-standard being above average in the most recent year. It suggests variability over time, cohort effects, or a profile that can be “fine on the headline” while less strong on breadth indicators and consistency. For parents comparing shortlists, it is a reason to look at the pattern across reading, maths, writing depth and GPS rather than rely on a single combined figure.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
Reading, Writing & Maths
65%
% of pupils achieving expected standard
Curriculum work is a live theme in the most recent inspection report. Leaders are described as revising the curriculum and being close to completing that project; most subjects are logically sequenced, while some were still being refined so that knowledge is in the right order. In a primary context, that is usually about clarity of progression and avoiding gaps when pupils move between mixed-age groups.
Classroom practice is described as typically clear and precise, with high expectations about the work pupils complete and tasks that provide plenty of practice so pupils remember what they have learned. That is the substance behind phrases like “strong basics”, and it matters particularly in small schools where staff have to be very intentional about what pupils revisit and retain.
Early reading is the most concrete improvement narrative available. The inspection notes that leaders improved how pupils learn to read, introducing a well-resourced scheme and staff training; phonics is taught step-by-step, with checking and extra practice for those who need it most. For parents of Reception and Key Stage 1 children, that is one of the highest-value signals a school can offer, because early reading quality predicts so much of later confidence across subjects.
Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described as training-led, aiming to balance focused support with developing independence as pupils get older. In a small school, SEND approaches can be highly personalised, but parents should still ask the practical questions: how teaching assistants are deployed across mixed year groups, how interventions are timetabled without narrowing pupils’ wider curriculum, and how progress is reviewed.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
For many families, the “next step” question is simple: which secondary school is the usual destination, and how smooth is transition?
The Norfolk schoolfinder entry links Ellingham to Hobart High School as a destination pathway. In practice, families may also consider other secondaries depending on transport and admissions criteria, but the schoolfinder destination is the most grounded indicator of the typical move-on pattern.
The transition experience tends to be shaped by two things in small primaries: pupil confidence in independence, and familiarity with working across ages. Mixed-year settings often strengthen the latter. The best way to validate this is to ask how the school prepares Year 6 pupils for moving to a larger site, including visits, routines, and pastoral support for anxious pupils.
Admissions for Reception entry are handled through the Norfolk coordinated admissions system, not by the school directly, and the county timetable matters.
For September 2026 entry, Reception applications closed on 15 January 2026, and Norfolk’s published process states that offers are made on 16 April 2026 (national offer day for primary).
Even though those dates are now in the past relative to today’s date (09 February 2026), they are still useful as an annual pattern reference: applications typically open in early autumn, close mid-January, and offers arrive mid-April.
For the primary entry route there were 17 applications for 7 offers, 2.43 applications per place, and the school was oversubscribed. In a small school, these numbers can swing year to year, but the overall message is that first preference demand outstripped places in that cycle.
Norfolk’s own local authority listing shows a planned admission number of 12 for 2026/27, which is useful for parents because it sets expectations for how many Reception places are intended.
The Norfolk schoolfinder entry publishes the admissions priority order for both 2025/26 and 2026/27. The structure is familiar to many Norfolk primaries: EHCP naming the school, looked-after and previously looked-after children, siblings, catchment, disability with evidence, service premium, children of staff in defined circumstances, then distance. It also states that distance is measured as a straight-line “crow fly” calculation using Ordnance Survey data, with random allocation as a tie-break in the rare case distance does not separate the final applicants.
100%
1st preference success rate
7 of 7 first-choice applicants received an offer
Places
7
Offers
7
Applications
17
Pastoral strength in the inspection narrative is largely relational: pupils say adults listen, and the school is framed as kind and supportive. The safeguarding judgement in the most recent inspection is also clear and positive. The latest Ofsted inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.
The more nuanced pastoral question is behaviour consistency. The inspection describes routines as not yet as rigorous as they could be in some lessons, with occasional disruption affecting concentration. For some children this is a minor background issue; for others it can shape the whole learning experience. The practical parent takeaway is to ask what “consistent routines” look like now: class entry routines, attention signals, how transitions are managed in mixed-age settings, and what staff do to prevent low-level disruption rather than respond after it starts.
The most specific enrichment evidence available points to outdoor learning and pupil leadership.
The inspection highlights multiple opportunities to learn outdoors, a flourishing eco-council, and pupil responsibilities such as play buddies supporting younger pupils. Those are not decorative extras; they are the kinds of roles that build confidence and a sense of belonging in a small community.
Trips and visits also show up as a meaningful part of curriculum delivery in the inspection narrative, described as helping pupils learn more about the curriculum while creating positive shared memories. In small schools, these shared experiences can be disproportionately important because they bind the community and give pupils common reference points for speaking and writing.
Transport is typically car-led in rural settings, with some families walking or cycling if they live in the village. For families outside Ellingham, the real question is whether the journey remains practical in winter months and whether after-school activities clash with travel arrangements.
Small cohorts mean variable data. A small school can look very different year to year in results and “higher standard” percentages, because a few pupils can shift the headline figures. Treat the data as directionally useful, then validate on a visit by asking how teaching adapts for different attainment profiles.
Behaviour consistency is a development area. The most recent inspection describes occasional disruption affecting concentration, and the need to strengthen routines so behaviour improves over time rather than being repeatedly managed. Families with easily distracted children should ask what has changed since July 2023.
Oversubscription is real even at small scale. The figures show more applications than offers in the relevant cycle. If you are outside the likely distance range, have a backup plan and use tools such as FindMySchool’s Map Search to check proximity realistically.
Wraparound care details need confirming. If breakfast club and after-school care are essential for your work pattern, confirm the specifics directly before committing to this option.
Ellingham VC Primary School offers the close-knit feel many families actively seek, with evidence of a supportive culture, improving early reading, and enrichment that leans into outdoor learning and pupil responsibility. Academic outcomes year sit slightly above England average on the core combined measure, while the broader ranking context suggests performance is less consistently strong across time and measures.
Who it suits: families who value a small village school, want a calm community atmosphere, and are comfortable engaging actively with school routines and communication. The main challenge is that places can still be competitive, and parents should do the practical homework on admissions distance and wraparound care.
The most recent inspection outcome confirms the school continues to be Good, with strengths in relationships, early reading improvement, and a curriculum that is being refined to ensure knowledge builds logically. Parents should also note the identified need for more consistent routines to reduce occasional disruption in lessons.
Norfolk admissions arrangements use catchment priority alongside other criteria such as siblings, looked-after children, and distance. The published oversubscription rules explain the order of priority and how distance is measured. If you are unsure whether you are inside catchment, check the Norfolk admissions information for your address.
Applications are made through Norfolk’s coordinated admissions process. For September 2026 entry, the on-time deadline was 15 January 2026, with offers made on 16 April 2026. For future years, expect a similar pattern, with applications opening in early autumn and closing mid-January.
Primary admissions cycle, the school was oversubscribed, with more applications than offers. Year-to-year demand can change in small schools, so families should still check the most recent Norfolk admissions allocation information if they are applying in a later round.
Norfolk’s local authority schoolfinder links Ellingham VC Primary with Hobart High School as a destination pathway. Individual destinations can vary by family choice and admissions outcomes, but this is the clearest official indicator of the typical transition route.
Get in touch with the school directly
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Information on this page is compiled, analysed, and processed from publicly available sources including the Department for Education (DfE), Ofsted, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and official school websites.
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