The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School, Ely
The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Ely. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 17th-highest of the 18 schools in Ely with published results, and 13,336th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 104% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Cambridgeshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School in detail
The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Hello and a very warm welcome to The Rackham Church of England (VC) Primary School. The Rackham is a mainstream school and serves the community of Witchford and outlying villages. The Rackham is 1.5 form entry school with a distinctive Christian ethos."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:75am and after-school care until 5:00pm, from £5.00 per session.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School reached the expected standard in reading and 50% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 74% in Cambridgeshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 80% in reading and 70% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School
For September 2026 entry, 36 families put The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School as their first choice and 51 named it as one of their preferences, for 38 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 The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School are Ely St John's Community Primary School (1.8 miles, Good, 80% reading, 80% maths); Little Thetford CofE Primary School (2.4 miles, 77% reading, 85% maths); Wilburton CofE Primary School (2.6 miles, Good, 50% reading, 50% maths); and Stretham Community Primary School (2.6 miles, Good, 79% reading, 71% maths).
The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Ely St John's Community Primary SchoolLittle Thetford CofE Primary SchoolWilburton CofE Primary SchoolStretham Community Primary School
What parents say
76 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School (as of September 2025): 88% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 74% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (74%).
Who goes there
9.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 71 pupils (23.1%) received SEN support and 14 (4.6%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ely Railway Station Forecourt, about 2.6 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church View (near), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 11 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School issued 57 suspensions, 17.6 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; 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 March 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is an inviting school where everyone receives a warm welcome. Typically, pupils enjoy coming as they have time with their friends and enjoy learning. They know and understand the school's aim of 'working together to be the best that we can possibly be'. Pupils appreciate that staff have high expectations of them. They know how they can meet these expectations. Pupils are taught about an inspirational person by staff or through a presentation by the person themselves. This supports the development of pupils' self-belief to achieve their goals.
Pupils listen to one another's ideas and are respectful of different opinions. They are generally motivated to learn and contribute to discussions and activities. Where this does not happen, a gentle reminder is usually enough to ensure pupils regain their focus. The improvements that the school has been making to the curriculum and its delivery have ensured that pupils achieve well. Pupils find the topics and activities that they have recently learned about interesting and engaging.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's curriculum has undergone a review that has led to many changes. It is a broad and balanced curriculum, which is relevant for the pupils who attend the school. Staff present new ideas clearly and check pupils' knowledge. They use this information to address gaps in pupils' understanding and adapt future learning. As a result, pupils learn and remember the curriculum well in most subjects. However, in a few subjects the implementation of the curriculum is less effective. Some subject curriculums are new. Pupils find it difficult to remember important knowledge or build links to what they have learned before in these subjects. This prevents them from building the depth of knowledge they need.
The local pre-school has recently become part of the school. Children enjoy attending. Staff support children's understanding of new words during story time. Despite this, the pre-school curriculum is not aligned to the curriculum that the children follow in the Reception Year. This means that children are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
23.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
76 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 80% to 64% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 70% to 50% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 73% to 58% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.9
Avg class size
26.2
Infant (KS1)
29.3
KS2
11
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School
Term dates
The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Cambridgeshire. 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
You apply to the council where you live. The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School is in Cambridgeshire; for families living there:
- Cambridgeshire's school travel policy: School Travel Assistance Policy - Mainstream September 2025 326KB - pdf
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 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 Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 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 The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School
Will you get a place at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School.
- Cambridgeshire publishes last distance offered figures, but none for The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Cambridgeshire 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
104%
Over capacity
327 pupils
315 places
12 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Ely
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ely
Across Cambridgeshire council
Places available
8,107
Applications
6,292
Got 1st preference
94.7%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Cambridgeshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
71
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
27.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
307
Total Pupils
149
Boys
158
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
19.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,030
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,293
Per pupil
£1893k
Total funding
£115k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.4%
Overall absence
14.7%
Persistent absence
286
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School
Questions parents ask about The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School
What are SATs results like at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School?
Of the pupils at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 64% reached the expected standard in reading and 50% did so in maths.
What is The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School's Ofsted rating?
The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School?
No fixed boundary. When The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School is oversubscribed, Cambridgeshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School?
The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School was full in 2025, at 104% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School?
Classes at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School average 27.9 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School?
The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School has around 307 pupils on roll. 23% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School?
6.4% of sessions were missed at The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School in 2024/25. 14.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School?
Apply through Cambridgeshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-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 The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School's term dates?
The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Cambridgeshire. 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 The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 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 Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School?
The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-School is at Main Street, Witchford, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 2HQ.
Sources: Cambridgeshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)