Hillside Primary School, Ipswich
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Hillside Primary School is a caring, inclusive community where your child will feel welcomed and supported. Staff know pupils well, behaviour is calm and orderly, and the school offers wonderful experiences beyond the classroom including trips, clubs and careers events. However, parents should be aware that reading and writing achievement is below national average, and the school is working to improve consistency in teaching quality.
Key Strengths
- Strong safeguarding culture with open communication and active concern management
- Effective pastoral support with staff who know pupils well and respond promptly to concerns
- Well-organised early years provision with emphasis on children's wellbeing and readiness for Year 1
- Good attendance improvement through close work with parents and external agencies
- Broad range of enrichment activities that raise pupil aspirations and build confidence
Areas for Improvement
- Reading achievement remains below national average at end of key stage 2 and Year 1 phonics screening
- Inconsistent teaching quality across year groups affecting pupil progress
- Some gaps in basic knowledge and skills in reading and writing limiting access to new learning
- Classroom adaptations for pupils with SEND not consistently embedded across all lessons
- Support staff need further training and guidance to meet pupil needs confidently
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed, making pupils safer and helping them feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Residential visits, camping trips, theatre trips, sports clubs, science clubs, environmental activities, careers fair, transition workshops
Hillside Primary School is a welcoming, inclusive school where pupils feel safe and well-supported. While the school has made improvements in attendance and behaviour, achievement in reading and writing remains below national averages, and teaching quality varies across year groups.
At a Glance
46.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 67% to 60%. Maths has remained stable at around 74%. Writing has improved from 61% to 72%.
Class Sizes
26.1
Avg class size
24.0
Infant (KS1)
28.1
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
80%
Available places
402 pupils
500 capacity
98 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Ipswich
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Ipswich
Admissions Demand - Suffolk
Places available
8,896
Applications
6,486
Got 1st preference
96.3%
Got preferred school
99.4%
Primary admissions across Suffolk (2025/26)
Inspection History(106)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.42384%
Overall absence
21.03896%
Persistent absence
385
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Hillside Primary School
Nearby Schools
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