Thetford Grammar School
Same Suffolk area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 17 August 2026
Culford School is a private secondary-stage school in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, with a published age range of 1-19.
Private school Co-ed Ages 1-19 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 1-19
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
Culford School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 1-19
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Culford Hall became an educational site in 1935, when the Methodist Board of Education bought it for the East Anglian School for Boys. In 1972, pupils from the East Anglian School for Girls joined the school, making Culford one of the UK's early co-educational boarding and day schools. It remains part of the Methodist Independent Schools Trust.
Culford brings together nursery, pre-prep, prep, senior school and sixth form on 480 acres of Suffolk parkland, with the eighteenth-century mansion at its centre. It offers day and boarding places from age seven. The senior school aims to develop flexible, innovative, dynamic and resilient young adults ready for life beyond school.
Culford describes pupils as reflective thinkers, creative problem-solvers, independent learners and resilient self-managers. Academic work sits alongside sport, tennis, music, the arts and co-curricular activities, shaped around individual needs and aspirations.
Admissions are handled directly by Culford's team. The process begins with an enquiry and visit, followed by registration and an age-appropriate entrance assessment or examination; interviews, references and a previous-school report may also be requested. Senior entry differs at 13+, 14+ and 16+, with scholarship assessment steps.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0.9% grade 5+ in English and maths and 31.3 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 12.8% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Suffolk and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 31.3
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0.9%
- EBacc APS
- 2.99
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Suffolk and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 1-19
- Headteacher
- Claire Bentley
- Pupil roll
- 863 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Culford, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk
- Postcode
- IP28 6TX
- Area
- Suffolk
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Claire Bentley
School contact
- School phone
- 01284728615
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01284728615
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 1-19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- Senior day tuition, Years 9-13
- Boarding fees
- Senior part to international boarding tuition, Years 9-13
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 31.3 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 1.9% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0.9% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 2.99 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 12.8% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 39.15 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: Not yet verified
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2024 is the latest report listed by ISI. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Culford School handle admissions?
Culford School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Culford School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Culford School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Culford School?
Culford School is currently rated Standards met.