Otley Primary School, Ipswich
Otley Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Ipswich. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 53rd-highest of the 55 schools in Ipswich with published results, and 13,886th of 14,452 across England. It was 74% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
- 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 26 Oct 2026
Otley Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils at Otley Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 50% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Suffolk and 77% and 75% across England.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Otley Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 5 families put Otley Primary School as their first choice and 13 named it as one of their preferences, for 5 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Otley Primary School are Witnesham Primary School (2.3 miles, Good, 73% reading, 64% maths); Helmingham Primary School and Nursery (2.4 miles, Requires improvement); Charsfield Church of England Primary School (3.1 miles, Good, 80% reading, 60% maths); and Grundisburgh Primary School (3.2 miles, Good, 83% reading, 79% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Otley Primary School.
Witnesham Primary SchoolHelmingham Primary School and NurseryCharsfield Church of England Primary SchoolGrundisburgh Primary School
What parents say
12 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Otley Primary School (as of September 2025): 67% would recommend the school, 83% say their child is happy there and 80% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (83%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (58%).
Who goes there
0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 21 pupils (41.2%) received SEN support and 8 (15.7%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Staffing
Otley Primary School had 7 teachers in 2026, one for every 8 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Otley Primary School.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Shop (outside), 210 metres away.
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).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Otley Primary School issued 8 suspensions, 14 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Otley Primary excels at creating a close-knit, nurturing community where every child feels valued and safe. Reading is a genuine priority, with engaging activities like visiting storytellers developing pupils' love of books. The school provides excellent tailored support for children with special needs, ensuring they learn alongside their peers and make good progress.
Key Strengths
- Strong reading culture with pupils becoming confident, fluent readers who enjoy books and stories
- Well-planned, inclusive curriculum with carefully sequenced knowledge that helps pupils make connections
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs, with tailored adjustments and close work with parents
- Positive behaviour and respectful attitudes throughout the school with calm, focused lessons
- Strong early years provision with warm, supportive relationships that help children feel secure and ready to learn
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent application of spelling, grammar and handwriting in pupils' written work across the school
- Limited opportunities for pupils to practise and apply writing skills in subjects beyond English
- Need to raise expectations for quality and quantity of written work, particularly in building pupils' confidence and writing stamina
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sailing, visits to the owl sanctuary, musical performances, school council, anti-bullying ambassadors, visiting storyteller sessions
Otley Primary School is a vibrant, welcoming school where pupils achieve well in reading, mathematics and across the wider curriculum. The school has improved from its previous 'Requires improvement' rating and now provides a good quality of education.
At a Glance
17.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
12 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)
2024/25 academic year
Class Sizes
17.0
Avg class size
17.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Otley Primary School
Term dates
Otley Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Suffolk. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Otley Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Otley 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.
0 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 Otley Primary School
Will you get a place at Otley Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Otley Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Otley Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Otley 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 Otley Primary School for 2014 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
74%
Available places
55 pupils
74 places
19 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Ipswich
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ipswich
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(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
56.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
51
Total Pupils
30
Boys
21
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
7.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,963
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,376
Per pupil
£525k
Total funding
£15k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.4%
Overall absence
12.2%
Persistent absence
49
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Otley Primary School
What are SATs results like at Otley Primary School?
Of the pupils at Otley Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 50% reached the expected standard in reading and 50% did so in maths.
What is Otley Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Otley Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Otley Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Otley 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 Otley Primary School?
Otley Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 74% of its 74 places.
How big are the classes at Otley Primary School?
Classes at Otley Primary School average 17 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Otley Primary School?
Otley Primary School has around 51 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Otley Primary School?
4.4% of sessions were missed at Otley Primary School in 2024/25. 12.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Otley Primary School?
Apply through Suffolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Otley 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.
What are Otley Primary School's term dates?
Otley Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Suffolk. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Otley 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. 0 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 Otley Primary School?
Otley Primary School is at Chapel Road, Ipswich, IP6 9NT.
Sources: Suffolk term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)