School Chooser

Middleton Community Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademy16 pupilsSaxmundhamSuffolk
School Chooser Score
37
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 11 to 76, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 77% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, December 2019
Attendance95.0%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families44%Far more than most schools
Places59 spare16 pupils, 75 places
Pupils per teacher6.1School workforce census
Pupils on roll16Census January 2026

Middleton Community Primary School is a converter academy in Saxmundham for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 16 pupils and room for 75. About 44 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 37 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 77% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2019.

Rectory Road, Middleton, Saxmundham, IP17 3NW01728 648251middletonprimaryschool.org.ukMrs Katy Last academy headAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 17 December 2019, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A later, shorter visit on 7 May 2025 said: “Standards maintained”.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
0
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

This inspection is more than 6 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
7 May 2025UngradedStandards maintained

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

3 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 11Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected levelOfficial name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading scoreOfficial name: Reading average scaled score
Maths scoreOfficial name: Maths average scaled score
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017†SuffolkEngland
Pupils tested371246
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths29%33%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score103.0110.0105.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score98.0100.0103.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score98.0101.0103.8105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard71%100%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard43%50%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)71%50%
Reading progressReading progress score+5.6
Maths progressMaths progress score-4.2

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 Middleton Community Primary School, the school this one replaced in December 2016. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Plenty of spare places16 pupils for 68 places, 2024/25
24% full

52 places were empty (77% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 57% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Suffolk council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

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 roll16Census January 2026
Places7521% full
Pupils from low-income families44%44% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English6%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support19%3 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan6%1 pupil with a plan
Average class size8.02 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)38%£9,300 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls8 / 8
White British pupils81%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (1), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (1), emotional and mental health (1), language and communications needs (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll161932253937
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals44%26%31%20%23%14%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language6%16%6%0%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support26%16%8%10%5%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans0%3%4%0%5%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.0%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school5.6%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, 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 absence5.0%7.8%9.5%6.9%4.5%4.5%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.3%6.5%7.2%5.6%3.9%3.2%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.7%1.3%2.3%1.4%0.7%1.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence5.6%35.7%40.0%19.4%17.7%8.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.028.012.813.5
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers2.6full-time equivalent, 4 people
Pupils per teacher6.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants1.8full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£56,651
Teachers who left in the year44%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher22.02024/25

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£17,053England £7,128. Total £324k
Income per pupil£21,158England £7,587. Total £402k
Spent on teachers per pupil£9,895England £3,405
Money in reserve-2%In the red: -£9,004, -£474 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£78kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£17,053spent 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 m212 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate40 per 1,000 people56% lower than the England average
Typical house price£287,500East Suffolk
Nearest bus stop80 mBus Shelter, 3 stops within 500 m

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
Yoxford & Peasenhall Primary AcademyAcademy2.3 miles88Good 20192Compare
Kelsale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolChurch of England3.5 miles166Good 202245Compare
Leiston Primary SchoolAcademy3.6 miles383No overall grade 202513Compare
Saxmundham Primary SchoolAcademy4.0 miles252Good 202441Compare
Bramfield Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy4.1 miles103Not inspected68Compare
Coldfair Green Community Primary SchoolAcademy4.4 miles160Good 202316Compare
Wenhaston Primary SchoolAcademy4.6 miles93Good 202051Compare
Benhall St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy4.9 miles77Not inspectedCompare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Middleton Community Primary School with the 47 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 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats77%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the top quarter of its group. Its score of 37 is 20 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 17 · highest 93100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 47 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Middleton Community Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Orford Church of England Primary School and NurseryAcademy11.0 miles34Good 202347Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 37 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 37% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 11 to 76. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. 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 years0%no data
Ofsted inspection11% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.02
Ofsted grade, 6.7 years old
Progress pupils make0%no data
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
-0.06
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.12
2024/25; 18 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils0%no data
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 Middleton Community Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Middleton Community Primary School scores 37 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 77% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 11 to 76, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Middleton Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Middleton Community Primary School good at its last full inspection on 17 December 2019. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.

How many pupils does Middleton Community Primary School have?

16 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 75 places, so it is 21% full.

Is Middleton Community Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 52 places were empty in 2024/25 (77% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Middleton Community Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 6% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Middleton Community Primary School?

The average class had 8.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class 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
Rectory Road, Middleton, Saxmundham, IP17 3NW
Telephone
01728 648251
Website
www.middletonprimaryschool.org.uk
Academy Head
Mrs Katy Last
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Consortium Trust (14 schools)
Local authority
Suffolk
Ward
Aldeburgh & Leiston
Constituency
Suffolk Coastal
Setting
Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 December 2016 (academy converter)
URN
143806 · LAESTAB 9352098 · UKPRN 10061991
Formerly
Middleton Community Primary School

Where these figures come from