Ofsted: Outstanding trending_up Places Available emoji_events #6 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole public Top 17% UK

Elm Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Jo Wakeman

corporate_fareAMBITIONS ACADEMIES TRUST

location_onBournemouth, BH11 9JN

language Visit Website phone 1202574212

verified

Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

449

school

Expected Standard

77%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

0.9x

summarize

Elm Academy is a Academy sponsor led primary school in Bournemouth, serving ages 3-11. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade. Ranks in the top 17% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Elm Academy is an academy sponsor led in Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, admitting pupils aged 3-11. It is part of AMBITIONS ACADEMIES TRUST. The school has approximately 362 pupils on roll, of whom 40% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 77% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 15% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #6 of 50 primaries in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and #976 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Outstanding. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 22.3:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 1.0 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

77%

LA 59%

Reading80% LA 72%

Writing82% LA 70%

Maths87% LA 70%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

106

GPS SS

107

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

62%

LA 58%England 61%

Reading71% LA 69% · Eng 74%

Writing82% LA 70% · Eng 72%

Maths71% LA 68% · Eng 73%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

106

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

55%

LA 57%England 60%

Reading62% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Writing80% LA 68% · Eng 71%

Maths72% LA 68% · Eng 73%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.8

Read

LA -0.8

-4.5 to -1.2

1.0

Write

LA -0.6

-0.6 to 2.5

-0.3

Maths

LA -0.7

-1.8 to 1.3

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

60%

LA 61%England 65%

Reading66% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Writing81% LA 74% · Eng 78%

Maths84% LA 75% · Eng 79%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.2

Read

LA -0.7

-2.7 to 0.3

0.6

Write

LA -0.4

-0.7 to 2.0

0.4

Maths

LA -0.5

-0.9 to 1.7

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

65%

LA 59%

Reading73% LA 68%

Writing82% LA 74%

Maths77% LA 71%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

-0.6

Read

LA -1.3

-2.2 to 1

0.9

Write

LA -0.4

-0.6 to 2.4

1.2

Maths

LA -0.9

-0.2 to 2.6

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

07 January 2025

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

24 April 2014

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2025-01-07

S5 Inspection EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Good

2014-04-24

Academy First Section 5 EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

2011-03-01

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.3%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.3%(1 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 362 pupils. During this period, there were 1 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.3%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	362	1	0.3%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	359	6	1.7%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	423	2	0.5%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	425	7	1.6%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	421	12	2.9%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	457	11	2.4%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	449	8	1.8%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	426	9	2.1%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	459	5	1.1%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	452	2	0.4%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	412	2	0.5%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	412	2	0.5%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	406	1	0.2%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	394	1	0.3%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	411	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	411	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	411	1	0.2%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	445	2	0.4%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	445	0	0.0%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	450	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	488	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	476	0	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	470	0	0.0%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	470	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	464	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	459	0	0.0%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 41 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 13 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 8 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 5 pupils

Multi-Sensory Impairment 4 pupils

Physical Disability 2 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

100.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

96.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

21.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree51%

agree44%

disagree3%

strongly disagree2%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree79%

agree16%

strongly disagree2%

don't know3%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree28%

agree15%

disagree2%

strongly disagree2%

not applicable54%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes23%

no77%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree64%

agree21%

disagree7%

dont know7%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree67%

agree25%

disagree3%

don't know5%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree74%

agree21%

disagree3%

don't know2%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree66%

agree30%

disagree5%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree61%

agree38%

disagree2%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree77%

agree21%

don't know2%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree57%

agree38%

disagree2%

don't know3%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes97%

no3%

Top Primary Schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

Moordown St John's Church of England Primary School

Good

location_on Bournemouth, BH9 2SA

emoji_events #1 in LA

Winton Primary School

Good

location_on Bournemouth, BH9 2TG

emoji_events #2 in LA

Mudeford Junior School

Good

location_on Christchurch, BH23 3HP

emoji_events #3 in LA

Avonwood Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Bournemouth, BH7 6NB

emoji_events #4 in LA

Queen's Park Academy

Outstanding

location_on Bournemouth, BH8 9PU

emoji_events #5 in LA

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch

Good

location_on Christchurch, BH23 3DA

emoji_events #7 in LA

View all schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Moordown St John's Church of England Primary School

Winton Primary School

Mudeford Junior School

Avonwood Primary School

Queen's Park Academy

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch