SchoolScoresHillside Primary School
Academy · Primary, ages 3 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class
Part of THE ACTIVE LEARNING TRUST LIMITED
Belstead Avenue, Ipswich, IP2 8NU
01473 601402 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 2 June 2026 , published 6 July 2026.
In short: 5 expected, 2 needs attention, and safeguarding met.
Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. How report cards work.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| SafeguardingWhether pupils are kept safe. Met or not met. | Met |
| InclusionHow well the school supports disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. | Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this. |
| AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. | Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this. |
| Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Early yearsNursery and reception classes. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
32 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 4 September 2023 and 2 September 2024.
Ipswich comparisons use the 36 of its 62 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 26 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 | Ipswich | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 25th highest of 36 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Ipswich. Higher than 18% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 88% | 93% | 88% |
| My child feels safe at this school 28th highest of 36 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Ipswich. Higher than 16% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 88% | 94% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved Joint 25th highest of 36 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Ipswich. Higher than 20% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 81% | 89% | 84% |
| Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 15 parents whose child had been bullied 12th highest of 20 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Ipswich. Higher than 62% of 6,022 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 60% | 59% | 49% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 25 parents who had raised a concern Joint 30th highest of 34 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Ipswich. Higher than 11% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 64% | 82% | 75% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent Joint 28th highest of 36 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Ipswich. Higher than 17% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 78%said yes | 89% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. 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. Ipswich figures pool parents at the Ipswich 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
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
58 pupils in this year group.
53% — 6 points below the Suffolk average, and 9 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 53% | 59% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 3% | 7% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 60% | 73% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 72% | 70% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 74% | 71% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 101 | 105 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 102 | 104 | 105 |
Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
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 fewer first-choice applications than places.
| Places offered | 32 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 28 |
| Of those, offered a place | 28 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 36 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.9 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 0.9
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 4th highest of 62 state primary schools in Ipswich. Higher than 86% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 45.5% | 23.4%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 41st highest of 62 state primary schools in Ipswich. Higher than 31% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 2.1% | 3.2%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 33rd highest of 62 state primary schools in Ipswich. Higher than 45% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 13.5% | 14.7%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 3rd highest of 62 state primary schools in Ipswich. Higher than 93% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 57.7% | 12.6%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 50th lowest of 62 state primary schools in Ipswich. Lower than 17% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 6.4% | 5.2%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 54th lowest of 62 state primary schools in Ipswich. Lower than 12% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 21.0% | 12.1%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 20th lowest of 62 state primary schools in Ipswich. Lower than 57% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.7 | 5.1 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 22nd lowest of 62 state primary schools in Ipswich. Lower than 49% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.7% | 1.9% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.08% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher Joint 7th highest of 62 state primary schools in Ipswich. Higher than 82% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 23.5 | 19.8 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) Joint 41st highest of 62 state primary schools in Ipswich. Higher than 25% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 9.3 | 10.4 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 7th highest of 52 state primary schools in Ipswich. Higher than 85% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 26.7% | 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
- Halifax Primary School 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2015, before conversion), confirmed 2025 · 72% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Mark's Catholic Primary School 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023, before conversion) · 77% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Ipswich 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 47% met expected standard (KS2)
- Cliff Lane Primary School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 74% met expected standard (KS2)
- The Willows Primary School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Requires improvement (2024) · 35% met expected standard (KS2)
- Ranelagh Primary School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022) · 23% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Helen's Primary School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2012, before conversion), confirmed 2023 · 53% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Margaret's CEVAP School, Ipswich 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed, may be improving 2024 · 63% met expected standard (KS2)
- The Oaks Primary School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2018), confirmed 2024 · 67% met expected standard (KS2)
- Handford Hall Primary School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 62% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Hillside Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Hillside Primary School was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 2 June 2026. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 5 expected, 2 needs attention, and safeguarding was met.
How did Hillside Primary School do in its SATs?
In 2024/25, 53% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 9 points below the England average of 62%.
Would parents recommend Hillside Primary School?
78% of the 32 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 4 September 2023 and 2 September 2024 said they would recommend Hillside Primary School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Hillside Primary School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 28 families put Hillside Primary School as their first choice for 32 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 28 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 140887.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 4 September 2023 to 2 September 2024.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.