Walsingham CE VA Primary School

Walsingham CE VA Primary School is a very small federation-linked church school. Across the inspection, provision was found to be meeting expected standards in all areas, and safeguarding is met. Because cohorts are extremely small, published national assessment outcomes are often suppressed and do not give a reliable picture of pupils’ achievement. Inspectors found that pupils achieve well from their starting points, including those with SEND and those facing additional barriers. The school’s main strengths are its inclusive ethos, strong relationships and behaviour, and a curriculum that builds core skills in reading, writing and mathematics from the early years. Phonics teaching is systematic, staff identify and support SEND effectively, and additional funding is used well to provide extra help and wider opportunities. Attendance has improved and is now close to the national average. Leadership and governance are effective, staff feel valued, and personal development is coherent, with pupils learning how to stay safe and healthy. The main areas for development are to give pupils more regular opportunities to practise and apply subject-specific knowledge and skills, especially in science, history and art; to deepen their understanding of different cultures and beliefs through PSHE; and to work further with families to strengthen pupils’ aspirations, resilience and independence. Overall, this is a school fulfilling expected standards, though the very small cohorts and high levels of disadvantage are important context.

Strengths

• Pupils with SEND and those facing additional barriers typically achieve well from their starting points.
• Pupils are proud of their work and recall key knowledge securely across subjects.
• Core reading, writing and mathematics skills are built successfully from the early years.
• A systematic synthetic phonics programme develops fluent and accurate reading.
• Staff identify pupils’ needs quickly and accurately, with effective SEND adaptations.
• Leaders use additional funding thoughtfully to provide extra support and wider opportunities.
• Attendance has improved and is now close to the national average.
• Behaviour is a strength; pupils are friendly, kind, polite and responsible.
• Bullying and harassment are rare and dealt with firmly.
• The curriculum is ambitious and appropriately sequenced across subjects and mixed-age classes.
• Leaders and governors have an accurate understanding of strengths and areas for development.
• Governors fulfil statutory responsibilities and provide appropriate support and challenge.
• Staff feel valued and supported with wellbeing and workload.
• The personal development programme promotes healthy lifestyles, safety and positive relationships.
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of clubs, visits and wider opportunities, with financial barriers addressed.
• Safeguarding standards are met and there is an open culture of safeguarding.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils have limited regular opportunities to practise and apply subject-specific knowledge and skills in subjects such as science, history and art.
• Pupils’ understanding of different cultures and beliefs is not as well embedded as other aspects of personal development.
• Further work with families is needed to strengthen pupils’ aspirations, resilience and independence.

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 Walsingham CE VA Primary School attended 93.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.2% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Walsingham CE VA Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were 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 Walsingham CE VA Primary School had 15.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 26.7% of pupils at Walsingham CE VA Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.3% 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.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

What is Walsingham CE VA Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Walsingham CE VA Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Walsingham CE VA Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Walsingham CE VA Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Walsingham CE VA Primary School have?

Walsingham CE VA Primary School has 30 pupils on roll.

What age range does Walsingham CE VA Primary School cover?

Walsingham CE VA Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

Where is Walsingham CE VA Primary School?

Walsingham CE VA Primary School is at Wells Road, Walsingham, Norfolk, NR22 6DU.