Long Melford Church of England Primary School, Sudbury
Long Melford Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Sudbury, part of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 11th-highest of the 15 schools in Sudbury with published results, and 8,950th of 14,452 across England. It was 92% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Suffolk (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Long Melford Church of England Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at Long Melford Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 70% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Suffolk and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 89% in reading and 68% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Long Melford Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 22 families put Long Melford Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 39 named it as one of their preferences, for 26 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Long Melford Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Long Melford Church of England Primary School are Woodhall Primary School (1.8 miles, Good, 81% reading, 79% maths); Acton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (1.9 miles, Good, 89% reading, 79% maths); Tudor Church of England Primary School, Sudbury (2.1 miles, Good, 67% reading, 72% maths); and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School (2.3 miles, Good, 77% reading, 77% maths).
Long Melford Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Woodhall Primary SchoolActon Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolTudor Church of England Primary School, SudburySt Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School
The trust
Long Melford Church of England Primary School is one of 21 schools run by St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.
All 21 schools in St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust
What parents say
55 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Long Melford Church of England Primary School (as of September 2025): 91% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 71% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (71%).
Who goes there
1.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 37 pupils (17.9%) received SEN support and 6 (2.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Staffing
Long Melford Church of England Primary School had 7 teachers in 2026, one for every 28 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Entrance, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is School (outside), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 21 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Suffolk (32).
Suspensions and exclusions
Long Melford Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Long Melford is a caring school where children thrive emotionally and academically. The school brings learning to life through real experiences like archaeological digs and science trips, helping pupils see themselves as historians and scientists. With excellent early reading teaching, strong support for all learners, and a wealth of clubs and activities, there is something to help develop every child's talents and interests.
Key Strengths
- Broad, ambitious curriculum with engaging learning experiences such as archaeological digs and visits to Cambridge's genome campus
- Very effective approach to teaching early reading with pupils developing fluency and a love of books
- Strong support for pupils with special educational needs, including adapted facilities for sensory needs
- Excellent pastoral care and emotional support helping pupils behave well
- Wide range of clubs and activities including band academy, girls' football, and musical productions
Areas for Improvement
- Grammar, punctuation and spelling are not taught consistently well enough, affecting the quality of pupils' writing
- New whole-school approach to improving writing skills is at an early stage and needs further development
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Band academy, girls' football, musical productions, library monitors program, drawing club, school council, business and enterprise stalls, village events
Long Melford Church of England Primary School is a warm and inclusive school where pupils feel happy and safe. The school has maintained its good standards and developed its curriculum effectively since the previous inspection.
At a Glance
20.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
55 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 89% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 70% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 71% to 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.7
Avg class size
24.0
Infant (KS1)
28.8
KS2
7
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Long Melford Church of England Primary School
Weekly Update
2 Oct 2026
Clubs Letter - Autumn 2026
27 Sep 2026
Weekly Update
25 Sep 2026
Weekly Update
18 Sep 2026
Weekly Update
11 Sep 2026
Weekly Update
4 Sep 2026
From Long Melford Church of England Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Long Melford Church of England Primary School
Before and after school care
Long Melford Church of England Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Suffolk
Term dates
Long Melford Church of England Primary School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Suffolk's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Long Melford Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Long Melford Church of England Primary School is in Suffolk; for families living there:
Apply to Suffolk for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
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
Your chances of a place at Long Melford Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Long Melford Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Long Melford Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Long Melford Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Long Melford Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Suffolk, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Long Melford Church of England Primary School for 2017 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Suffolk got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
92%
Near capacity
194 pupils
210 places
16 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sudbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sudbury
Across Suffolk council
Places available
8,806
Applications
6,492
Got 1st preference
94.9%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Suffolk council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
37
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
20.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
207
Total Pupils
115
Boys
92
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
29.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£42,039
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,242
Per pupil
£1140k
Total funding
£59k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.2%
Overall absence
13.7%
Persistent absence
182
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Long Melford Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Long Melford Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Long Melford Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 70% did so in maths.
What is Long Melford Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Long Melford Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Long Melford Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Long Melford Church of England Primary School is oversubscribed, Suffolk allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Long Melford Church of England Primary School?
Long Melford Church of England Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 92% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Long Melford Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Long Melford Church of England Primary School average 26.7 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Long Melford Church of England Primary School?
Long Melford Church of England Primary School has around 207 pupils on roll. 20% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Long Melford Church of England Primary School?
5.2% of sessions were missed at Long Melford Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 13.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Long Melford Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Suffolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Long Melford Church of England Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Long Melford Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Long Melford Church of England Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Long Melford Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Long Melford Church of England Primary School?
Long Melford Church of England Primary School is at Cordell Road, Long Melford, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 9ED.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)