Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery
Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery is a community school in Norwich for pupils aged 3 to 7. It has 188 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2025.
Ofsted inspection: March 2025.
| Type | Primary / Community school |
| Age Range | 3-7 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Sparhawk Avenue Sprowston Norwich Norfolk NR7 8BU |
| Reference Number | 120999 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 188 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 54.26%
Girls: 45.74% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 10.6% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 12.8% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 27.2 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 27.2 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | 23 | 50 |
| 2 | 40 | 19 | 59 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 81.9% |
| White, Other | 8% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.7% |
| White & Asian | 1.6% |
| African | 1.1% |
| Asian, Other | 1.1% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.5% |
| Chinese | 0.5% |
| Indian | 0.5% |
| Unclassified | 0.5% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.5% |
Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery has demonstrated outstanding performance across multiple domains, highlighting a strong educational environment where pupils thrive and excel in various subjects. The school community is marked by excellent behaviour among pupils, who are described as helpful and polite, fostering a welcoming atmosphere for all. Leadership at the school reflects a consistent commitment to high-quality education, particularly in reading, and effective collaboration with parents to support children's learning and well-being.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| > Quality of education | Outstanding |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| > Early Years Provision | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 25 Feb 2025 – no overall grade published for this inspection |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 25 Feb 2025 | School inspection |
| 13 Nov 2019 | School inspection: |
| 20 Mar 2019 | Short inspection |
| 03 Dec 2015 | Short inspection |
| 01 Mar 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 06 Nov 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 31 Jan 2005 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Outstanding quality of education across all subjects.
- Strong community and excellent pupil behaviour.
- Effective teaching of reading with a focus on developing a joy of reading.
- Consistent use of subject-specific language by pupils.
- High-quality support for children with SEND and their families.
- Exceptional collaboration between school leadership and parents.
Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 62 | 7 |
| Third Preference | 15 | 1 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery had 164 pupils for 180 places. 16 places (8.9%) 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%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 120 | 150 | 150 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 |
| Pupils | 79 | 80 | 84 | 92 | 122 | 139 | 171 | 169 | 171 | 179 | 164 | 158 | 165 | 158 | 164 |
| Unfilled | 12.2% | 11.1% | 6.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 7.3% | 0.0% | 6.1% | 5.0% | 0.6% | 8.9% | 12.2% | 8.3% | 12.2% | 8.9% |
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 Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 2.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 3.6% | 4.4% | 4.2% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 2.7% | 5.3% | 3.7% | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.5% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1.0% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.0% | 1.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 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, 1.5% of pupils at Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.9 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery had 23.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 53.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 10.2 | 9.4 | 9.5 | 9.7 | 9.2 | 10.4 | 9.7 | 10.1 | 9.2 | 9.6 | 10.1 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.4 | 11.3 | 11.1 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 19.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 45.5% | 33.3% | 2.4% | 11.0% | 5.8% | 5.8% | 10.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 23.3% | 33.3% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 80.0% | 71.4% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 60.0% | 63.6% | 45.5% | 40.0% | 63.6% | – | 33.3% | 50.0% | 46.2% | 76.9% | 46.2% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 4.0 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 5.1 | 2.8 | 4.7 | – | 1.1 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 14.8 | 6.2 | – |
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, 9.0% of pupils at Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.4% 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 | 8 | 4 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 4 | 4 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 0 | 4 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 3 | 0 |
| No specialist assessment of need | 2 | 0 |
| Down's syndrome | 0 | 1 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 0 | 1 |
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 Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery received £7,075 and spent £6,722 for each of its 184 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £108,000 (£587 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £115,000 | £163,000 | £166,000 | £153,000 | £114,000 | £40,000 | £43,000 | £108,000 |
| per pupil | £567 | £845 | £849 | £754 | £553 | £201 | £210 | £587 |
| In-year balance | £16,000 | £48,000 | £4,000 | -£13,000 | -£39,000 | -£74,000 | £3,000 | £65,000 |
| per pupil | £78 | £249 | £19 | -£66 | -£190 | -£366 | £13 | £353 |
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 |
|
Cecil Gowing Infant School
Falcon Road West, Sprowston, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 8NZ |
0.36 miles |
|
Falcon Junior School
Falcon Road West, Sprowston, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 8NT |
0.43 miles |
|
Sprowston Junior School
Recreation Ground Road, Sprowston, Sprowston Junior School, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 8EW |
0.49 miles |
|
Sprowston Infant School
Recreation Ground Road, Sprowston, Recreation Ground Rd, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 8EW |
0.49 miles |
|
White House Farm
Mallard Way, Norwich, NR7 8DN |
0.51 miles |
|
White Woman Lane Junior School
White Woman Lane, Sprowston, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 7JA |
0.96 miles |
|
Heartsease Primary Academy
Rider Haggard Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 9UE |
1.14 miles |
|
Old Catton CofE VC Junior School
Church Street, Old Catton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 7DS |
1.15 miles |
|
St. Clements Hill Primary Academy
50 Le Safferne Gardens, Norwich, NR3 4AR |
1.2 miles |
|
Lodge Lane Infant School
Lodge Lane, Old Catton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 7HL |
1.3 miles |
|
Garrick Green Infant School
Garrick Green, Old Catton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 7AL |
1.36 miles |
|
Mousehold Infant & Nursery School
Mousehold Avenue, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 4RS |
1.44 miles |
|
St William's Primary School
Williams Loke, Thorpe St Andrew, St. William's Primary School, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 0AJ |
1.48 miles |
|
George White Junior School
Silver Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 4RG |
1.52 miles |
|
Lionwood Junior School
Wolfe Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 4HT |
1.76 miles |
|
Magdalen Gates Primary School
Bull Close Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 1NG |
1.8 miles |
|
Angel Road Junior School
Angel Road, 81 Angel Road, Norwich, NR3 3HR |
1.81 miles |
|
Angel Road Infant School
Angel Road, 81 Angel Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 3HR |
1.82 miles |
|
Include School Norfolk
27 Hurricane Way, Airport Industrial Estate, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 6HE |
1.84 miles |
|
Catton Grove Primary School
Weston Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 3TP |
1.84 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 |
0.9 miles |
|
Hall School
St Faith's Road, Old Catton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 7AD |
1.46 miles |
|
Sewell Park Academy
St Clement's Hill, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 4BX |
1.47 miles |
|
Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form
Laundry Lane, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 0XS |
1.87 miles |
|
Norwich School
71A The Close, Norwich, NR1 4DD |
2.2 miles |
|
Jane Austen College
46-48 Colegate, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 1DD |
2.26 miles |
|
Nurture Education Trust
289 Drayton Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 2PW |
2.54 miles |
|
Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form Free School
The Old Fire Station, 30 Bethel Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1NR |
2.58 miles |
|
Notre Dame High School, Norwich
Surrey Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 3PB |
2.74 miles |
|
Red Balloon Educational Trust-Norfolk
76 Earlham Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 3DF |
2.87 miles |
|
Hellesdon High School
187 Middletons Lane, Hellesdon, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 5SB |
3.03 miles |
|
Norwich Steiner School
Hospital Lane, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 2HW |
3.05 miles |
|
The Parkside School, Norwich
College Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 3JA |
3.18 miles |
|
Norwich City College of Further and Higher Education
Ipswich Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 2LJ |
3.24 miles |
|
Town Close Co-Educational Preparatory School
14 Ipswich Road, Norwich, NR2 2LR |
3.29 miles |
|
Hewett Academy
Cecil Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 2PL |
3.45 miles |
|
Norwich High School for Girls GDST
|
3.47 miles |
|
The Wherry School
280 Hall Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 2GB |
3.53 miles |
|
Harford Manor School, Norwich
43 Ipswich Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 2LN |
3.6 miles |
All schools in Norwich · Norfolk local authority: places and applications
What is Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2025.
When was Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery last inspected by Ofsted?
Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery was last inspected in March 2025.
How many pupils does Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery have?
Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery has 188 pupils on roll.
What age range does Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery cover?
Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery for pupils aged 3 to 7.
Where is Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery?
Sparhawk Infant School & Nursery is at Sparhawk Avenue, Sprowston, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 8BU.
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