Culford School, Bury St. Edmunds
Culford School is an independent school for pupils aged 1 to 19 in Bury St. Edmunds. It has a Methodist religious character. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in April 2024.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Culford School in detail
Culford School in its own words
In its own words: "There are few places quite like Culford. It is a school that places the individual at its heart, where teachers are committed to helping every child unlock their full potential, to be ready for life."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include drama, STEM and philosophy.
Coming up: an open day on Friday 5 March 2027 and an open day on Monday 3 May 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Suffolk
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Culford School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Where pupils go next
Of the 65 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 52% went on to university or other higher education, 2% to apprenticeships and 9% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 213 pupils (24.7%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Culford School.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Suffolk (32).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
30 April 2024
Short Visit
12 January 2023
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
25 February 2020
Regulatory Compliance
24 May 2017
Integrated
18 November 2014
About
Culford School, formerly the East Anglian School for Boys, is a co-educational private boarding and day school in the English public school tradition for pupils age 1–18 in the village of Culford, 4 miles (6 km) north of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England. The head is traditionally a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Prep School...
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Culford School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 4 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby all-through school
Latest from Culford School
Upper Sixth Student Selected as Lord Lieutenant's Cadet
29 Sep 2026
South African Rugby Exchange Programme Success
Meet Our New Assistant Head (Academic)
Zimbabwe 2026
Two Old Culfordians. One Davis Cup team.
Meet Our Health Centre Team
From Culford School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Culford School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
863 pupils
885 places
22 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bury St. Edmunds
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bury St. Edmunds
Across Suffolk council
Places available
8,475
Applications
7,204
Got 1st preference
92.7%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All secondary applications across Suffolk council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
213
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
24.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
863
Total Pupils
477
Boys
386
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Culford School
What are GCSE results like at Culford School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Culford School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was Culford School last inspected?
Culford School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in April 2024.
How many pupils go to Culford School?
Culford School has around 863 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Culford School?
Culford School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Culford School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Culford School?
Culford School is at Culford, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 6TX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)