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Sprowston Infant School

Primary Ages 4-7 111 pupils Norwich
Ofsted: Good
All schools in Norwich

Sprowston Infant School is a community school in Norwich for pupils aged 4 to 7. It has 111 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Sprowston Infant School is Good, from an inspection in June 2025. It has more teachers for its size than most primary schools: 12.6 pupils for each teacher in 2025/26, against 20.7 nationally.

Ofsted inspection: June 2025.

Type Primary / Community school
Age Range 4-7
Religion Does not apply
Address Recreation Ground Road
Sprowston
Recreation Ground Rd
Norwich
Norfolk
NR7 8EW
Reference Number 120853

General Makeup

Number of pupils 111
Boy/Girl ratio Boys: 57.66%
Girls: 42.34%
Percentage of students eligible for free school meals 26.1%
Percentage of students where English is not their first language 18.9%

Class Sizes

Average size of one teacher classes 15.9
Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher 18.8

Year Groups

Year Boys Girls Total
1 20 14 34
2 23 16 39

Ethnicities

Ethnicity Percentage
White, British 75.7%
White, Other 8.1%
African 5.4%
White & Black (African) 2.7%
White & Asian 1.8%
Unclassified 1.8%
Mixed, Other 0.9%
Asian, Other 0.9%

Sprowston Infant School is performing well, achieving a 'Good' overall effectiveness rating. It is characterized as a welcoming environment where pupils feel included and valued. The staff are dedicated to ensuring that all students succeed and there is a strong emphasis on a positive culture of reading, which contributes to pupils' enjoyment of learning. However, there are areas identified for improvement, particularly regarding staff training in managing challenging behavior and inconsistencies in curriculum planning across some subjects.

Overall Ofsted Rating Good
 >  Quality of education Good
  >  Behaviour & Attitude Good
  >  Personal Development Good
  >  Leadership & Management Good
  >  Early Years Provision Good
Last Report Date 13 May 2025 – no overall grade published for this inspection
Date Report
13 May 2025 School inspection
12 Feb 2020 School inspection:
31 Jan 2019 Short inspection
09 Jul 2015 Full inspection:
15 Jan 2013 Interim assessment
27 Apr 2010 Full inspection:
09 Jan 2007 Full inspection:
16 Sep 2002 Full inspection

Strengths

  • Strong culture of reading with engaging activities like the Reading Café
  • Dedicated staff who care deeply about pupils' well-being and success
  • Pupils of all abilities thrive, supported by a wide range of enrichment activities
  • Good quality early years provision with a focus on individual interests
  • Robust safeguarding practices ensuring pupil safety and well-being

Areas for Improvement

  • Insufficient training for staff to manage challenging behavior effectively
  • Inconsistent sequencing in curriculum plans across some subjects
  • Books provided to some lowest attaining pupils do not match their learning needs

Reception admissions, 2026 entry

Number of Applications Number of Offers
First Preference
Second Preference 16 1
Third Preference 32 0
From another Local Authority 0 0

Previous years

Sample

Unlock

Places and pupil numbers

In 2024–25 Sprowston Infant School had 125 pupils for 157 places. 32 places (20.4%) were unfilled.

Pupils and places

Reception intake in the “Sprowston Primary Phase” planning area

Norfolk counted 309 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 276 in 2029–30, down 11%.

201020112012201320142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Places 176176176176176176176176176176176176176176157
Pupils 141160164174171177187183181166141133143127125
Unfilled 19.9%9.1%6.8%1.1%2.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%5.7%19.9%24.4%18.8%27.8%20.4%

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Sprowston Infant School attended 93.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 17.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Authorised absence 3.3%3.9%3.0%3.5%4.1%3.0%3.5%6.4%6.4%4.0%4.4%
Unauthorised absence 1.3%1.1%1.1%0.8%1.1%1.5%1.0%1.4%1.6%1.7%2.0%
Severely absent pupils 1.7%0.9%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.8%1.0%1.1%1.0%0.0%1.1%

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Sprowston Infant School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

2010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.00.00.00.00.00.01.12.80.60.01.40.72.21.30.70.0
Permanent exclusions 0000000100000000

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Sprowston Infant School had 12.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

2011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Pupils per adult 10.59.69.09.48.38.68.07.97.77.96.97.07.17.15.24.5
Teachers who left state teaching 0.0%0.0%0.0%14.6%2.3%0.0%16.0%0.0%0.0%13.5%0.0%3.3%6.8%0.0%0.0%–
Teachers who took any sick leave 62.5%62.5%62.5%36.4%60.0%36.4%27.3%60.0%45.5%–23.1%50.0%60.0%72.7%54.5%–
Sick days per teacher 3.01.83.41.62.41.315.82.42.3–0.71.312.72.72.6–

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 14.4% of pupils at Sprowston Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 24.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has a SEN unit with 25 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

SEN support EHC plan
Autistic spectrum disorder 1 25
Speech, language and communication needs 6 1
No specialist assessment of need 5 0
Hearing impairment 2 0
Social, emotional and mental health 1 1
Physical disability 1 0

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Sprowston Infant School received £14,588 and spent £14,414 for each of its 111 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £220,000 (£1,984 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

20192020202120222023202420252026
Revenue reserve £115,000£144,000£178,000£181,000£150,000£241,000£201,000£220,000
per pupil £684£973£1,288£1,349£1,010£1,801£1,551£1,984
In-year balance £38,000£29,000£34,000£3,000-£31,000£91,000-£40,000£19,000
per pupil £227£197£244£23-£208£683-£312£174

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

Name Distance
Sprowston Junior School
Recreation Ground Road, Sprowston, Sprowston Junior School, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 8EW
0 miles
Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery
Sparhawk Avenue, Sprowston, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 8BU
0.49 miles
Cecil Gowing Infant School
Falcon Road West, Sprowston, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 8NZ
0.51 miles
Falcon Junior School
Falcon Road West, Sprowston, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 8NT
0.59 miles
White Woman Lane Junior School
White Woman Lane, Sprowston, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 7JA
0.72 miles
Old Catton CofE VC Junior School
Church Street, Old Catton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 7DS
0.74 miles
St. Clements Hill Primary Academy
50 Le Safferne Gardens, Norwich, NR3 4AR
0.78 miles
Garrick Green Infant School
Garrick Green, Old Catton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 7AL
0.96 miles
White House Farm
Mallard Way, Norwich, NR7 8DN
1 miles
Lodge Lane Infant School
Lodge Lane, Old Catton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 7HL
1 miles
Mousehold Infant & Nursery School
Mousehold Avenue, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 4RS
1.13 miles
George White Junior School
Silver Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 4RG
1.17 miles
Heartsease Primary Academy
Rider Haggard Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 9UE
1.17 miles
Catton Grove Primary School
Weston Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 3TP
1.35 miles
Angel Road Junior School
Angel Road, 81 Angel Road, Norwich, NR3 3HR
1.38 miles
Angel Road Infant School
Angel Road, 81 Angel Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 3HR
1.38 miles
Magdalen Gates Primary School
Bull Close Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 1NG
1.43 miles
Include School Norfolk
27 Hurricane Way, Airport Industrial Estate, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 6HE
1.45 miles
St William's Primary School
Williams Loke, Thorpe St Andrew, St. William's Primary School, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 0AJ
1.6 miles
Lionwood Junior School
Wolfe Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 4HT
1.62 miles
Name Distance
Sprowston Community Academy
Cannerby Lane, Sprowston, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 8NE
0.44 miles
The Open Academy
Salhouse Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 9DL
0.89 miles
Hall School
St Faith's Road, Old Catton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 7AD
1 miles
Sewell Park Academy
St Clement's Hill, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 4BX
1.02 miles
Norwich School
71A The Close, Norwich, NR1 4DD
1.9 miles
Jane Austen College
46-48 Colegate, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 1DD
1.9 miles
Nurture Education Trust
289 Drayton Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 2PW
2.05 miles
Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form
Laundry Lane, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 0XS
2.14 miles
Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form Free School
The Old Fire Station, 30 Bethel Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1NR
2.23 miles
Red Balloon Educational Trust-Norfolk
76 Earlham Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 3DF
2.46 miles
Notre Dame High School, Norwich
Surrey Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 3PB
2.46 miles
Hellesdon High School
187 Middletons Lane, Hellesdon, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 5SB
2.55 miles
The Parkside School, Norwich
College Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 3JA
2.77 miles
Norwich Steiner School
Hospital Lane, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 2HW
2.8 miles
Norwich City College of Further and Higher Education
Ipswich Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 2LJ
2.93 miles
Town Close Co-Educational Preparatory School
14 Ipswich Road, Norwich, NR2 2LR
2.97 miles
Norwich High School for Girls GDST
3.12 miles
Hewett Academy
Cecil Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 2PL
3.16 miles
The Wherry School
280 Hall Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 2GB
3.26 miles
Harford Manor School, Norwich
43 Ipswich Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 2LN
3.3 miles

All schools in Norwich · Norfolk local authority: places and applications

What is Sprowston Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sprowston Infant School is Good, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was Sprowston Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Sprowston Infant School was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does Sprowston Infant School have?

Sprowston Infant School has 111 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sprowston Infant School cover?

Sprowston Infant School for pupils aged 4 to 7.

Where is Sprowston Infant School?

Sprowston Infant School is at Recreation Ground Road, Sprowston, Recreation Ground Rd, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 8EW.

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