Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School continues to be a good school, as noted in their recent inspection. The school exhibits a positive ethos with pupils who are happy, well-behaved, and feel safe. There are strong relationships among pupils and staff, who maintain clear expectations for behavior and learning. This nurturing environment contributes to the overall positive school experience. However, there are areas where further development of the curriculum is required, particularly in a small number of subjects where the depth of knowledge and finalization of content has yet to be achieved.

Strengths

• Pupils feel happy and safe at school.
• Strong relationships exist between pupils and staff.
• High expectations for all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Effective teaching strategies for reading that build confidence.
• Governance is a strength, with governors holding leaders accountable.

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of subjects, curriculum content has not been finalised.
• Some pupils are not developing the depth of knowledge needed in certain subjects.

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 Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School attended 94.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

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, 0.8% of pupils at Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

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 Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School had 21.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

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, 10.8% of pupils at Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

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 Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School received £7,128 and spent £7,652 for each of its 130 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £47,000 (-£358 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

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

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

What is Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is Good, from an inspection in January 2022.

When was Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was last inspected in January 2022.

How many pupils does Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School have?

Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School has 130 pupils on roll.

What age range does Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School cover?

Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?

Overstrand, the Belfry, Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is at 23 Cromer Road, Overstrand, Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 0NT.