School Chooser

Elm CofE Primary School

Primary · ages 2-11MixedAcademyChurch of England243 pupilsNurseryWisbechCambridgeshire
School Chooser Score
55
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 31 to 76
Out of 100. Better than 80% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedStrong teachingOfsted report card, May 2026
Reached the expected level at 1161%England 63%
Attendance95.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families32%A bit more than most schools
Places1 spare243 pupils, 244 places
Pupils per teacher23.6School workforce census

Elm CofE Primary School is a converter academy in Wisbech for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 243 pupils and room for 244. About 32 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 55 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 80% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in May 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Main Road, Elm, Wisbech, PE14 0AG01945 860295elm.graceschools.org.ukMrs Jackie Mills headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 19 May 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
Strong
Achievement
As expected
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
Strong
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
Strong
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
Strong
Early years
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
8 February 2022S5 InspectionGood

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

31 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1161%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level3%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score103.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score105.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 33%33%20172018: 47%47%20182019: 43%43%20192023: 65%65%20232024: 75%75%20242025: 61%61%2025
Since 2017: +28%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure20252024202320192018†2017†CambridgeshireEngland
Pupils tested313231303027
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths61%75%65%43%47%33%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths3%0%0%0%0%0%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score103.0105.0103.0101.0103.0101.0106.0105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0106.0102.0100.099.099.0104.6104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score104.0106.0104.0103.0103.0102.0105.2105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard68%78%71%53%77%48%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard74%84%74%57%57%44%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)71%78%68%60%63%59%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.1-2.1-1.7-2.9
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.3-4.0-4.0-4.9
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged60%81%36%25%11%22%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged62%69%80%50%62%39%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for Elm CofE Primary School, the school this one replaced in November 2017. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 3 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
60%62%
Gap 2 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
47%75%
Gap 28 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
10%3%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Nearly full206 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
98% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 3.2 miles away in 2020, 1.0 miles away in 2019. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2020. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 3.2 miles from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.

EntryPlacesGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2020 Primary30303.2 milesLA
2019 Primary30301.0 milesLA

The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.

What a home within 1.0 miles of the school costs

Typical sale price within 1.0 miles of the school£240,000half sold for £190k to £300k
Homes sold97December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district+2%a typical home in the district sells for £235,000

Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll243Census January 2026
Places244100% full
Pupils from low-income families28%32% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English6%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%41 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%6 pupils with a plan
Average class size30.17 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils29%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)32%£102,300 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls119 / 124
White British pupils88%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.7 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.5 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (16), language and communications needs (12), Autistic spectrum disorder (7), Specific learning difficulty (6), emotional and mental health (4), Physical disability (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll243228241241204210
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals28%27%31%27%29%26%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language6%5%4%5%4%5%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support13%16%12%18%23%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%4%3%3%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school10.5%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.32024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.7%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.6%5.4%6.1%7.0%3.5%4.7%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.9%3.9%4.5%5.3%2.6%3.8%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.7%1.5%1.6%1.7%0.9%0.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence10.5%13.0%12.8%13.6%6.6%9.2%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.34.61.30.50.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers9.5full-time equivalent, 10 people
Pupils per teacher23.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers90%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants11.9full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£50,403
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher5.02024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£5,455England £7,128. Total £1.2m
Income per pupil£7,018England £7,587. Total £1.6m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,649England £3,405
Money in reserve8%Not much put by: £117k, £528 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£347kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£5,455spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m10012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate78 per 1,000 people14% lower than the England average
Typical house price£235,000Fenland

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Friday Bridge Community Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles89Good 20226Compare
Elm Road Primary SchoolAcademy1.6 miles194Good 202428Compare
Emneth AcademyAcademy1.7 miles209Good 202437Compare
Ramnoth Junior SchoolAcademy1.7 miles340Good 202226Compare
The Nene Infant & Nursery SchoolAcademy1.8 miles217Good 202242Compare
St Peter's CofE Aided Junior SchoolAcademy2.3 miles225Good 202416Compare
Clarkson Infants SchoolCouncil2.3 miles187Good 202229Compare
Peckover Primary SchoolAcademy2.5 miles433No overall grade 202529Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Elm CofE Primary School with the 46 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats80%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the top quarter of its group. Its score of 55 is 19 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 37 · highest 100100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 55 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 55% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 31 to 76. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
-0.06
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 31 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%above
+0.09
Ofsted report card, 0.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.04
DfE progress measure; 31 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.03
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.03
2024/25; 181 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
+0.01
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 31 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Elm CofE Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Elm CofE Primary School scores 55 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 80% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 31 to 76, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Elm CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 19 May 2026 it rated teaching as strong, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as strong.

How good are Elm CofE Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 61% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 3% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Elm CofE Primary School have?

243 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 244 places, so it is 100% full.

Is Elm CofE Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2020 the last place went to a child living 3.2 miles away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.

What is attendance like at Elm CofE Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 11% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Elm CofE Primary School?

The average class had 30.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 29% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Main Road, Elm, Wisbech, PE14 0AG
Telephone
01945 860295
Website
elm.graceschools.org.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Jackie Mills
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Ely
Multi-academy trust
Grace Schools (38 schools)
Local authority
Cambridgeshire
Ward
Elm & Christchurch
Constituency
North East Cambridgeshire
Setting
Urban: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 November 2017 (academy converter)
URN
143835 · LAESTAB 8733046 · UKPRN 10062016
Formerly
Elm CofE Primary School

Where these figures come from