The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold

The Norman Church of England Primary School in Northwold has made significant progress since its previous inspection, now achieving a 'Good' rating in all areas of its performance. The school fosters a happy and safe environment where pupils feel valued, and the curriculum is ambitious and effectively implemented, leading to strong achievements among the students. The school has high expectations and successfully engages pupils with a broad curriculum, which many students find enjoyable and stimulating. However, there is a recognized need for improvement in providing a greater variety of extracurricular opportunities to better prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy attending school and feel safe.
• The school has a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
• There is an effective behavior management system in place.
• Pupils treat each other and visitors with kindness and respect.
• The curriculum is ambitious and well-designed.
• Teachers effectively adapt learning for pupils with SEND.
• Reading and phonics are taught consistently well.

Areas for Improvement

• Limited extracurricular opportunities for pupils.
• Insufficient preparation for life in modern Britain.

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 The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 23.4% 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 The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold 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 The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold had 22.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 62.5% 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, 23.8% of pupils at The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.0% 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 The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold received £8,000 and spent £6,610 for each of its 107 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £0 (£0 per pupil).

Across all 38 schools of Grace Schools, income was £7,113 and spending £6,207 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 King'S Lynn And West Norfolk · Norfolk local authority: places and applications

The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold is part of Grace Schools, which runs 38 schools. The nearest others:

• Duchy of Lancaster Methwold CofE Primary School Thetford
• All Saints Academy King'S Lynn
• Weeting Church of England Primary School Brandon
• Hilgay Riverside Academy Downham Market
• St Martin At Shouldham Church of England Primary Academy King'S Lynn
• Holy Cross Church of England Primary School King'S Lynn
• Ely St Mary's CofE Junior School Ely
• Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School Wisbech
• St Christopher's CEVCP School Bury St Edmunds
• Tilney All Saints CofE Primary School King'S Lynn

What is The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold last inspected by Ofsted?

The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold have?

The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold has 101 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold cover?

The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold?

The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold is at School Lane, Northwold, Thetford, Norfolk, IP26 5NB.