Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy

Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating across all aspects of its operation. Pupils are happy and feel safe, embracing the school’s values of friendship, creativity, and respect. The curriculum is broad and well-sequenced, allowing pupils to build upon their knowledge effectively. Notably, the early years provision is strong, enabling children to settle well and achieve good outcomes as they transition to Year 1. This is the first routine inspection since the pandemic, highlighting the school's ability to adapt and thrive in changing circumstances.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate happiness and a strong sense of safety at school.
• The curriculum is broad and well-planned, meeting the needs of all pupils.
• Early years provision is effective, helping children settle and achieve well.
• Teachers are enthusiastic about reading, fostering a love of literature among pupils.
• Pupils engage positively with each other and the staff.

Areas for Improvement

• Some subjects lack well-defined curriculum breakdown, impacting consistency in teaching.
• A small number of pupils exhibit persistent attendance issues.

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 Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy attended 96.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.5% 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 Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy 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 Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy had 17.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 25.0% 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, 9.2% of pupils at Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 2024–25 Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy received £23,092 and spent £23,695 for each of its 69 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £15,000 (£218 per pupil).

Across all 22 schools of The Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust, income was £11,069 and spending £10,622 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy is part of The Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust, which runs 40 schools. The nearest others:

• Earsham Church of England Primary Academy Nr Bungay
• Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy Beccles
• Moorlands CofE Primary Academy Great Yarmouth
• Kessingland Church of England Primary Academy Lowestoft
• Hopton Church of England Primary Academy Great Yarmouth
• The Open Academy Norwich
• Peterhouse CofE Primary Academy Great Yarmouth
• St Peter's CofE Primary Academy, Easton Norwich
• Hockering Church of England Primary Academy Dereham
• Great Witchingham Church of England Primary Academy Norwich

What is Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2022.

When was Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy was last inspected in July 2022.

How many pupils does Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy have?

Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy has 65 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy cover?

Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 45% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy?

Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy is at Rider Haggard Way, Ditchingham, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 2RE.