Dereham Church of England Junior Academy

Dereham Church of England Junior Academy continues to perform at a good level, demonstrating a strong and inclusive community where pupils are happy and engaged in learning. The school places high expectations on pupils, fostering a caring ethos that encourages kindness and inquisitiveness. Pupils show mutual respect and actively participate in their learning experiences, further enriched by various cultural and community activities. Parents have reported a significant improvement in their perceptions of the school since the last inspection in 2018. Although the school's curriculum is ambitious and well-structured, there are areas where consistency in teaching methods can be enhanced. Some teachers struggle to introduce new knowledge clearly, which affects certain pupils' grasp of the material. However, the leadership is committed to refining their strategies and providing necessary support to staff, ensuring all pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged backgrounds, achieve well.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, kind, and inquisitive.
• The school fosters a caring and inclusive community.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge and high expectations.
• All pupils have access to musical education and cultural experiences.
• Leaders prioritize reading and vocabulary development.
• Pupils with SEND achieve well due to tailored support.
• Disadvantaged pupils receive additional help to access the curriculum.
• Pupils show respect for diversity and positive relationships.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not present new knowledge with clarity.
• Not all pupils grasp new knowledge as effectively as they could.

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 Dereham Church of England Junior Academy attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.6% 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, 2.1% of pupils at Dereham Church of England Junior 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 Dereham Church of England Junior Academy had 22.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.3% 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, 16.4% of pupils at Dereham Church of England Junior Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.4% 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 Dereham Church of England Junior Academy received £6,946 and spent £6,712 for each of its 387 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £84,000 (£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 Dereham · Norfolk local authority: places and applications

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

• Dereham Church of England Infant and Nursery Academy Dereham
• Yaxham Church of England Primary Academy Dereham
• Thomas Bullock Church of England Primary and Nursery Academy Thetford
• North Elmham Church of England Primary Academy & Nursery Dereham
• Hockering Church of England Primary Academy Dereham
• Lyng Church of England Primary Academy Norwich
• Brisley Church of England Primary Academy Dereham
• St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy & Nursery Thetford
• Great Witchingham Church of England Primary Academy Norwich
• Parker's Church of England Primary Academy Thetford

What is Dereham Church of England Junior Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Dereham Church of England Junior Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was Dereham Church of England Junior Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Dereham Church of England Junior Academy was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does Dereham Church of England Junior Academy have?

Dereham Church of England Junior Academy has 365 pupils on roll.

What age range does Dereham Church of England Junior Academy cover?

Dereham Church of England Junior Academy for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Dereham Church of England Junior Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 54% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Dereham Church of England Junior Academy?

Dereham Church of England Junior Academy is at Gilpin's Ride, Littlefield's, Dereham, Norfolk, NR19 1BJ.