Fred Nicholson School
| Type | Special School / Foundation special school |
| Age Range | 3-19 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | 77 Lynn Road Swaffham PE37 7BB |
| Phone | 01362693915 |
| Reference Number | 121256 |
Fred Nicholson School shows a mixture of strengths and areas for improvement in its recent inspection. Pupils express pride in their school and actively participate in various activities, which helps them develop strong social skills and independence. However, while leaders have ambitious plans for the school's education, the current delivery does not consistently meet these expectations. Pupils often engage with less challenging work, leading to insufficient progress in their learning. The school is aiming to establish a more structured curriculum to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) effectively. Despite these challenges, the school benefits from a dedicated staff who know their pupils well and provide a calm learning environment. Improvements have been initiated in phonics teaching to support reading development, though inconsistencies in assessment practices hinder progress. Importantly, the school is undergoing significant changes, including relocation plans and fresh leadership, which may present opportunities for positive evolution in its educational outcomes.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 197 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 59.9%
Girls: 40.1% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 55.4% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 9.6% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 5 | 15 | 9 | 24 |
| 6 | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| 7 | 11 | 8 | 19 |
| 8 | 18 | 5 | 23 |
| 9 | 16 | 16 | 32 |
| 10 | 19 | 12 | 31 |
| 11 | 21 | 8 | 29 |
| 12 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
| 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 84.3% |
| White, Other | 4.1% |
| Unclassified | 3% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1.5% |
| Indian | 1% |
| African | 1% |
| Mixed, Other | 1% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.5% |
| Asian, Other | 0.5% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 11 Mar 2025 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 11 Mar 2025 | School inspection |
| 08 Dec 2020 | Monitoring visit |
| 06 Nov 2019 | School inspection |
| 10 Dec 2014 | Full inspection: |
| 04 Jul 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 23 Mar 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 27 Jan 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 11 Dec 2007 | Monitoring visit |
| 14 Jun 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 20 Mar 2000 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils are proud to be part of the school.
- Strong emphasis on developing social skills and emotional regulation.
- Staff understand and support pupils' communication needs effectively.
- Dedicated activities promote independence and life skills.
- Leaders have initiated improvements to phonics teaching.
Areas for Improvement
- Low expectations for what pupils can achieve.
- Inconsistent challenges in academic work provided to pupils.
- Ineffective use of phonics assessment hindering reading progress.
- Curriculum lacks clear structure and sequence for knowledge development.
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 0% | ||
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 0% |
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 | -11.1 | ||
| Writing | -9 | ||
| Maths | -8.1 |
How many students meet the standards
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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