Hardwick Primary School
Bury St Edmunds, IP33 2PW · Suffolk · primary school
Check the area around this school
183rd of 232 primary schools in Suffolk we can score, 253 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 1.0/10 against 2,922 of them, against 1.4/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 35.0 · 5 | 40% | 0.20 |
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.82 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 3.0 · 29 | 25% | 0.73 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Hardwick Primary School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 35.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. The higher standard was reached by 3.0%, against a national median of 7%. Its results are much the same when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so the gap is not explained by intake (1.0 out of 10 against similar schools, 1.4 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted rated the school Good in April 2024.
Beyond the classroom
The school provides both a breakfast club and an after-school club.
Getting in
The published school roll is 190 pupils against a stated capacity of 255. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils who are below the expected standard in core subjects? What specific strategies are used to raise attainment in reading and maths? How does the current inspection rating reflect recent improvements in teaching quality?
What Ofsted said about Hardwick Primary School
Overview
Hardwick Primary School continues to be a good school, sitting at the heart of its local community. Pupils have a strong sense of belonging and develop respectful relationships through a culture that encourages them to ‘accept ourselves and accept each other’. The school provides a well-sequenced curriculum and effective safeguarding arrangements.
Strengths
- The curriculum is ‘well-sequenced’, with content broken into smaller steps to help pupils ‘secure their knowledge over time’.
- Staff possess ‘secure subject knowledge’ and use ‘thoughtful questions’ to check understanding and address misconceptions.
- Early reading is taught effectively, with staff using ‘careful and precise checks’ to match books to pupils’ known sounds, fostering fluency and confidence.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive ‘careful adaptations’ to the curriculum, such as breaking learning into manageable chunks.
- Pupils enjoy a wide range of opportunities, including sports, music, chess, and residential trips that develop ‘confidence and resilience’.
Areas to improve
- The school should ensure staff have the expertise to effectively teach new approaches to writing, as pupils do not yet consistently apply English techniques in independent writing.
- The school should provide ongoing training for subject leaders to evaluate how well pupils are securing their understanding of important content, particularly in subjects where monitoring is ‘in its infancy’.
Safeguarding
The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 41% |
| 2023/24 | 53% |
| 2024/25 | 35% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
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