SchoolScoresGrace Cook Primary School
Free school · Primary, ages 2 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class
Part of ORWELL MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Fuller Way, Stowmarket, IP14 1GG
01449 833094 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
At the inspection that started on 4 February 2025, Ofsted graded each area separately. It stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Outstanding |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
47 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.
Stowmarket comparisons use the 10 of its 18 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 8 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | Stowmarket | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 5th highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Stowmarket. Higher than 41% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 94% | 87% | 89% |
| My child feels safe at this school Joint 3rd highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Stowmarket. Higher than 52% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 96% | 91% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 4th highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Stowmarket. Higher than 34% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 87% | 79% | 84% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 35 parents who had raised a concern 9th highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Stowmarket. Higher than 7% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 60% | 69% | 76% |
| My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 12 parents of children with SEND 4th highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Stowmarket. Higher than 0% of 2,087 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 17% | 51% | 68% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent 7th highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Stowmarket. Higher than 25% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 83%said yes | 77% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 26%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Stowmarket figures pool parents at the Stowmarket schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Suffolk. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were about 1.5 first-choice applications for every place.
| Places offered | 29 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 37 |
| Of those, offered a place | 29 (78%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 98 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.1 · 2025: 1.6 · 2026: 1.3
This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 15th highest of 18 state primary schools in Stowmarket. Higher than 28% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 13.3% | 23.4%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 8th highest of 18 state primary schools in Stowmarket. Higher than 56% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 3.3% | 3.2%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 11th highest of 18 state primary schools in Stowmarket. Higher than 42% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 13.2% | 14.7%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 5th highest of 18 state primary schools in Stowmarket. Higher than 38% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 6.0% | 12.6%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 10th lowest of 18 state primary schools in Stowmarket. Lower than 54% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 4.9% | 5.2%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 12th lowest of 18 state primary schools in Stowmarket. Lower than 45% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 12.5% | 12.1%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 16th lowest of 18 state primary schools in Stowmarket. Lower than 11% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 6.6 | 5.1 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 16th lowest of 18 state primary schools in Stowmarket. Lower than 8% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 3.3% | 1.9% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded1 pupil | 0.55% | 0.08% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 7th highest of 18 state primary schools in Stowmarket. Higher than 56% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 21.1 | 19.8 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 16th highest of 18 state primary schools in Stowmarket. Higher than 11% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 8.1 | 10.4 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 7th highest of 16 state primary schools in Stowmarket. Higher than 63% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 16.7% | 15.0%* | 14.4%* |
Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby primary schools
- Wood Ley Community Primary School 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 3 strong, 4 expected · 49% met expected standard (KS2)
- Chilton Community Primary School 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2017, before conversion), confirmed 2025 · 68% met expected standard (KS2)
- Abbot's Hall Community Primary School 1.1 miles · Ofsted: Good (2018, before conversion), confirmed 2024 · 63% met expected standard (KS2)
- Cedars Park Community Primary School 1.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 72% met expected standard (KS2)
- Crawford's CofE Primary School 1.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 62% met expected standard (KS2)
- Combs Ford Primary School 1.8 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 47% met expected standard (KS2)
- Trinity CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School 2.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2024 · 80% met expected standard (KS2)
- Great Finborough CofE Voluntary Controlled Primary School 2.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022) · 50% met expected standard (KS2)
- Old Newton CofE Primary School 2.2 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 67% met expected standard (KS2)
- Freeman Community Primary School 2.3 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 54% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Grace Cook Primary School's Ofsted rating?
At its inspection in 4 February 2025, Ofsted graded each area separately; it stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.
Would parents recommend Grace Cook Primary School?
83% of the 47 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Grace Cook Primary School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Grace Cook Primary School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 37 families put Grace Cook Primary School as their first choice for 29 places: about 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. 29 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 149067.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 3 September 2024 to 1 September 2025.
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Page updated 26 September 2026.