Drake Primary School
| Type | Primary / Community school |
| Age Range | 4-11 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Fairfields Croxton Road Thetford Norfolk IP24 1JW |
| Phone | 01842762055 |
| Reference Number | 120995 |
Drake Primary School is performing at a strong standard overall, with notable strengths in early years education and personal development. The nurturing environment created by staff allows children to feel safe and supported as they build strong relationships, ensuring impressive progress, particularly in phonics and language skills. However, there are areas that require attention, particularly in key stage 1 and key stage 2, where pupils' progress is variable, and attainment in writing and mathematics is below national averages. The school's commitment to inclusion is commendable, especially in its specially resourced provision for pupils with autism, ensuring a tailored educational experience for all learners.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 411 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 51.34%
Girls: 48.66% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 11.4% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 25.8% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 29.4 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 29.7 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 29.3 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | 39 | 60 |
| 2 | 31 | 28 | 59 |
| 3 | 36 | 24 | 60 |
| 4 | 30 | 28 | 58 |
| 5 | 37 | 20 | 57 |
| 6 | 27 | 31 | 58 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 75.9% |
| White, Other | 16.5% |
| White & Asian | 1.7% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.5% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1% |
| Unclassified | 0.7% |
| Asian, Other | 0.7% |
| Indian | 0.2% |
| Pakistani | 0.2% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Needs attention |
| > Leadership & Governance | Expected standard |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Strong standard |
| > Achievement | Needs attention |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Expected standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Needs attention |
| > Inclusion | Expected standard |
| > Early Years | Strong standard |
| Last Report Date | 03 Mar 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 03 Mar 2026 | School inspection |
| 16 Nov 2021 | School inspection |
| 08 Oct 2013 | Full inspection |
| 09 Mar 2010 | Full inspection |
| 21 Sep 2006 | Full inspection |
| 28 Feb 2000 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Highly nurturing environment in early years
- Strong relationships between staff and pupils
- Well-designed curriculum that prepares children for key stage 1
- Effective phonics instruction leading to strong progress
- Exceptional personal development program promoting diversity and inclusion
- Wide range of extracurricular opportunities for pupils
- Effective pastoral support tailored to individual needs
Areas for Improvement
- Variable progress in key stage 1 and key stage 2
- Concerns with curriculum delivery in mathematics and writing
- Inconsistencies in teaching quality across some subjects
- Pupils' attainment in national assessments is below average
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 40% | ||
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 0% |
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 | 103 | ||
| Maths | 100 |
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 | -0.7 | ||
| Writing | -0.8 | ||
| Maths | -4.4 |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage 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.
Sample
UnlockProgress 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.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 36 | 5 |
| Third Preference | 19 | 1 |
| From another Local Authority | 2 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
Unlock| Name | Distance |
|
Admirals Academy
Admirals Way, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2JT |
0.2 miles |
|
Raleigh Infant Academy
Admirals Way, Thetford, IP24 2JT |
0.2 miles |
|
Norwich Road Academy
Norwich Road, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2HT |
0.46 miles |
|
The Bishop's Church of England Primary Academy
Canterbury Way, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 1EB |
0.95 miles |
|
Redcastle Family School
St Martin's Way, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 3PU |
1.11 miles |
|
Queensway Junior Academy
Hillary Road, Thetford, IP24 3DP |
1.15 miles |
|
Queensway Infant Academy
Queensway, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 3DR |
1.19 miles |
|
Barnham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Mill Lane, Barnham, Nr Thetford, Suffolk, IP24 2NG |
3.11 miles |
|
Elveden Church of England Primary Academy
London Road, Elveden, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 3TN |
4.64 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Thetford Academy
Croxton Road, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 1LH |
0.41 miles |
|
The Damara School
The Maltings, Raymond Street, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2EA |
0.7 miles |
|
Thetford Grammar School
|
0.74 miles |
|
Compass Community School Eld Park
Canterbury Way, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 1EF |
0.96 miles |