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Watlington Community Primary School

Primary Ages 4-11 169 pupils King'S Lynn
Ofsted: Good
All schools in King'S Lynn

Watlington Community Primary School is a community school in King'S Lynn for pupils aged 4 to 11. It has 169 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Watlington Community Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024. In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Ofsted inspection: September 2024. KS2 results: 2025.

Type Primary / Community school
Age Range 4-11
Religion Does not apply
Address Rectory Lane
Watlington
King's Lynn
Norfolk
PE33 0HU
Phone 01553810468
Reference Number 120888

General Makeup

Number of pupils 169
Boy/Girl ratio Boys: 47.34%
Girls: 52.66%
Percentage of students eligible for free school meals 23.1%
Percentage of students where English is not their first language 5.9%

Class Sizes

Average size of one teacher classes 24.1
Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher 24.3
Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher 24

Year Groups

Year Boys Girls Total
1 9 13 22
2 13 10 23
3 16 7 23
4 14 13 27
5 11 8 19
6 12 15 27

Ethnicities

Ethnicity Percentage
White, British 91.1%
White, Other 4.1%
White & Black (African) 1.2%
African 1.2%
Mixed, Other 1.2%
Unclassified 0.6%
Asian, Other 0.6%

Watlington Community Primary School continues to be a good school, demonstrating an improvement in various areas since the last inspection in January 2019. Pupils enjoy a positive learning environment where they feel safe and supported, enabling them to form good relationships with staff and peers. The school has effectively enhanced its curriculum, ensuring it is ambitious while providing adequate support tailored to pupils with special educational needs. Moreover, attendance has seen improvement due to effective engagement with parents and the implementation of a breakfast club.

Overall Ofsted Rating Good
Last Report Date 02 Jul 2024
Date Report
02 Jul 2024 School inspection
09 Jan 2019 Full inspection:
28 Jan 2015 Full inspection:
20 Mar 2013 Full inspection:
07 Mar 2011 Full inspection:
12 Sep 2007 Full inspection:
27 May 2002 Full inspection

Strengths

  • Pupils demonstrate positive relationships with staff and each other.
  • The curriculum is ambitious and regularly reviewed.
  • Teachers possess strong subject knowledge, contributing to improved pupil achievement.
  • Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
  • Pupils are well-prepared for transitions and develop confidence through various activities.

Areas for Improvement

  • In some subjects, assessment systems are still under development, leading to gaps in pupils' learning.

How many students meet the standards

Reading, Writing & Maths School Score Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Pupils meeting the expected standard 62%
Pupils meeting a higher standard 4%

Average Scaled Score

Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.

Subject School Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Reading 105
Maths 106

Progress Scores

A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.

Metric School Score Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Reading -1.8
Writing -1.4
Maths -1.7

How many students meet the standards

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Average Scaled Score

Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.

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Progress Scores

A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.

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Reception admissions, 2026 entry

Number of Applications Number of Offers
First Preference
Second Preference 6 0
Third Preference 4 0
From another Local Authority 0 0

Previous years

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Places and pupil numbers

In 2024–25 Watlington Community Primary School had 171 pupils for 210 places. 39 places (18.6%) were unfilled.

Pupils and places

Reception intake in the “Downham Market Primary Phase” planning area

Norfolk counted 235 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 226 in 2029–30, down 4%.

201020112012201320142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Places 210210210238210210210210210210210210210210210
Pupils 179184177170176177178175166156164165169174171
Unfilled 14.8%12.4%15.7%28.6%16.2%15.7%15.2%16.7%21.0%25.7%21.9%21.4%19.5%17.1%18.6%

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 Watlington Community Primary School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Authorised absence 2.1%2.0%2.6%2.5%2.8%2.4%2.3%5.2%4.4%3.3%3.5%
Unauthorised absence 1.4%1.0%1.1%1.1%1.4%1.2%0.9%1.4%1.1%1.2%1.3%
Severely absent pupils 0.0%0.0%0.6%0.0%0.0%0.7%1.3%0.7%0.0%0.6%0.0%

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 Watlington Community Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

2010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.00.62.20.60.60.00.00.00.02.40.03.07.912.46.90.0
Permanent exclusions 0000000002000100

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 Watlington Community Primary School had 20.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 23.8% 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 12.615.213.313.113.813.112.613.211.011.111.610.811.413.412.111.8
Teachers who left state teaching 23.9%14.3%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%25.0%25.0%11.1%25.6%7.5%0.0%0.0%23.8%–
Teachers who took any sick leave 16.7%25.0%87.5%87.5%50.0%44.4%50.0%62.5%9.1%–50.0%25.0%66.7%66.7%50.0%–
Sick days per teacher 0.210.23.815.61.40.94.53.60.3–3.10.94.11.44.5–

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, 21.3% of pupils at Watlington Community Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

SEN support EHC plan
Social, emotional and mental health 12 0
Speech, language and communication needs 7 2
No specialist assessment of need 7 0
Other difficulty or disability 3 0
Specific learning difficulty 3 0
Moderate learning difficulty 2 0
Autistic spectrum disorder 1 0
Physical disability 0 1
Vision impairment 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 Watlington Community Primary School received £7,130 and spent £6,539 for each of its 169 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £282,000 (£1,666 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

20192020202120222023202420252026
Revenue reserve £56,000£90,000£113,000£84,000£86,000£149,000£182,000£282,000
per pupil £338£535£680£509£507£859£1,063£1,666
In-year balance £2,000£34,000£23,000-£29,000£2,000£63,000£33,000£100,000
per pupil £10£201£138-£175£10£364£194£590

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
Holy Cross Church of England Primary School
School Road, Runcton Holme, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE33 0EL
1.33 miles
Magdalen Academy
Park Crescent, Magdalen, Magdalen Academy, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE34 3BU
1.39 miles
St Germans Academy
School Lane, St Germans, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE34 3DZ
2.54 miles
West Winch Primary School
Back Lane, West Winch, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE33 0LA
3.29 miles
Wimbotsham and Stow Academy
Chapel Lane, Wimbotsham, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE34 3QH
3.53 miles
St Martin At Shouldham Church of England Primary Academy
Lynn Road, Shouldham, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE33 0BU
3.84 miles
Nelson Academy
Nursery Road, Downham Market, Norfolk, PE38 9PF
4.48 miles
Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary School
Hillcrest, Bexwell Road, Downham Market, Norfolk, PE38 9ND
4.52 miles
Tilney St Lawrence Community Primary School
School Road, Tilney St Lawrence, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE34 4QZ
4.68 miles
St Michael's Church of England Academy
Saddlebow Road, South Lynn, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 5BN
4.79 miles
Name Distance
Orchard Manor School
The Old Rectory, Stow Bardolph, Nr King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE34 3HT
3.2 miles
Downham Market Academy
Bexwell Road, Downham Market, Norfolk, PE38 9LL
4.58 miles

All schools in King'S Lynn · Norfolk local authority: places and applications

What is Watlington Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Watlington Community Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was Watlington Community Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Watlington Community Primary School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does Watlington Community Primary School have?

Watlington Community Primary School has 169 pupils on roll.

What age range does Watlington Community Primary School cover?

Watlington Community Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Watlington Community Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Watlington Community Primary School?

Watlington Community Primary School is at Rectory Lane, Watlington, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE33 0HU.

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