Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #125 in Suffolk public Top 72% UK

Gusford Community Primary School

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

personMr Stephen Tapley

corporate_fareTHE ACTIVE LEARNING TRUST LIMITED

location_onIpswich, IP2 9LQ

language Visit Website phone 1473682148

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

576

school

Expected Standard

55%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

0.9x

summarize

Gusford Community Primary School is a Academy sponsor led primary school in Ipswich, serving ages 4-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 72% of primary schools nationally.

article

School Summary

Gusford Community Primary School is an academy sponsor led in Ipswich, Suffolk, admitting pupils aged 4-11. It is part of THE ACTIVE LEARNING TRUST LIMITED. The school has approximately 531 pupils on roll, of whom 36% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 55% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 7% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #125 of 225 primaries in Suffolk and #9,366 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. 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 24.1:1. There is 1 teaching vacancy.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 1.8 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

55%

LA 57%

Reading65% LA 73%

Writing76% LA 68%

Maths65% LA 69%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

55%

LA 55%England 61%

Reading66% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing74% LA 68% · Eng 72%

Maths71% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

48%

LA 54%England 60%

Reading58% LA 70% · Eng 73%

Writing76% LA 67% · Eng 71%

Maths60% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.2

Read

LA 0.0

-2.5 to 0.1

1.2

Write

LA -0.4

-0.1 to 2.4

-0.5

Maths

LA -0.6

-1.7 to 0.8

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

54%

LA 61%England 65%

Reading58% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Writing85% LA 75% · Eng 78%

Maths74% LA 75% · Eng 79%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.3

Read

LA -0.6

-3.7 to -1.0

1.4

Write

LA -0.7

0.1 to 2.6

0.2

Maths

LA -1.1

-1.0 to 1.4

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

59%

LA 60%

Reading69% LA 73%

Writing85% LA 74%

Maths65% LA 71%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

-0.3

Read

LA -0.4

-1.6 to 1

1.2

Write

LA -0.5

-0.1 to 2.5

0.2

Maths

LA -1.0

-1 to 1.4

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

12 November 2024

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

13 September 2022

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

18 May 2021

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

25 February 2021

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

20 October 2020

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

27 November 2018

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

22 June 2018

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

22 March 2017

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

29 June 2015

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

19 March 2015

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

Inspection Report

Inspection History

6 Evaluations

2024-11-12

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 4 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

2022-09-13

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 3 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2018-11-27

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 2 Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2018-06-22

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2017-03-22

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2015-03-19

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

Requires improvement

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

1.7%per term

warning Above Average

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

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.5%(8 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 531 pupils. During this period, there were 9 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.7%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	531	9	1.7%	0.8%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	514	10	1.9%	0.9%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	559	6	1.1%	0.8%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	549	13	2.4%	0.7%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	546	1	0.2%	0.8%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	582	5	0.9%	0.7%	2
2022/23 (Spring term)	576	3	0.5%	0.6%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	571	5	0.9%	0.6%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	608	8	1.3%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	601	14	2.3%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	583	16	2.7%	0.5%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	597	11	1.8%	0.4%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	586	2	0.3%	0.1%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	588	8	1.4%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	608	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	608	4	0.7%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	608	10	1.6%	0.6%	1
2018/19 (Summer term)	630	8	1.3%	0.4%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	604	7	1.2%	0.5%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	600	5	0.8%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	635	8	1.3%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	630	0	0.0%	0.4%	1
2017/18 (Autumn term)	630	11	1.7%	0.5%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	654	19	2.9%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	651	15	2.3%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	646	7	1.1%	0.5%	0

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

accessibility_new

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.

Moderate Learning Difficulty 28 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 24 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 13 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 9 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 3 pupils

Hearing Impairment 3 pupils

Physical Disability 2 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 1 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.

98.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

98.0%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 agree63%

agree33%

disagree1%

strongly disagree2%

don't know1%

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

strongly agree74%

agree23%

disagree2%

strongly disagree1%

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

strongly agree47%

agree15%

disagree5%

strongly disagree2%

don't know2%

not applicable30%

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

yes15%

no85%

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

strongly agree60%

agree20%

disagree15%

dont know5%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree64%

agree30%

disagree3%

don't know3%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree80%

agree17%

disagree3%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree70%

agree25%

disagree3%

strongly disagree2%

don't know1%

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

strongly agree72%

agree26%

disagree2%

don't know1%

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

strongly agree84%

agree14%

disagree1%

don't know2%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree61%

agree31%

disagree3%

don't know5%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes95%

no5%

Top Primary Schools in Suffolk

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

The Albert Pye Community Primary School

Good

location_on Beccles, NR34 9UL

emoji_events #1 in LA

Lavenham Community Primary School

Good

location_on Sudbury, CO10 9RB

emoji_events #2 in LA

Red Oak Primary School

Good

location_on Lowestoft, NR33 0RZ

emoji_events #3 in LA

Woodhall Primary School

Good

location_on Sudbury, CO10 1ST

emoji_events #4 in LA

Abbots Green Primary Academy

Good

location_on Bury St Edmunds, IP32 7PJ

emoji_events #5 in LA

Poplars Community Primary School

Requires improvement

location_on Lowestoft, NR32 4HN

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Suffolk 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.

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 Suffolk

The Albert Pye Community Primary School

Lavenham Community Primary School

Red Oak Primary School

Woodhall Primary School

Abbots Green Primary Academy

Poplars Community Primary School