Upwell Academy

Upwell Academy is a school that is performing at the expected standard overall, with early years provision judged as strong. Leaders have taken purposeful action to improve behaviour, strengthen the curriculum and raise expectations, and a refreshed vision emphasising belonging is having a positive impact. Pupils are well behaved, attendance is improving and is now close to national averages, and staff feel well supported. The school is part of Eastern Multi-Academy Trust, which has provided effective support, and there is a relatively new headteacher in post. A high proportion of pupils have SEND, which is well above average and forms important context for the school's work. However, achievement is a significant concern. Over time, too many pupils do not achieve as well as they should by the end of key stage 2, with attainment in reading, writing and mathematics below national averages. Disadvantaged pupils in particular perform well below their non-disadvantaged peers nationally. While improvements to teaching are beginning to strengthen achievement, it is too soon to see the impact on Year 6 attainment, and these pupils are not as well prepared for their next steps as they should be. Inspectors also noted that staff do not always deploy high-quality teaching approaches consistently, which means some pupils miss out on important learning. The report identifies two next steps: leaders should continue to support staff to consistently deploy high-quality teaching approaches so that all pupils learn and remember more, and they should ensure that pupils' achievement improves over time so that a greater proportion are well prepared for the next stage of education. Safeguarding standards are met, and the school's personal development and wellbeing provision is a strength, with pupils benefiting from a wide range of opportunities and a strong sense of belonging.

Strengths

• Early years provision is strong, with an ambitious curriculum and high-quality phonics teaching.
• Pupils behave well and respond positively to clear expectations and routines.
• Attendance has improved and is now close to national averages.
• Pupils with SEND are well supported to access the same curriculum as their peers.
• The school has a strong sense of community and pupils feel a sense of belonging.
• A wide range of clubs, visits and experiences enrich the curriculum and are accessible to all.
• Staff value the training and support they receive, and professional development is linked to school priorities.
• Leaders and governors have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for improvement.
• The trust provides effective support, including curriculum development and monitoring.
• Pupils achieve well in phonics and early reading.

Areas for Improvement

• Too many pupils do not achieve as well as they should by the end of key stage 2.
• Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is below national averages.
• Disadvantaged pupils perform well below non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.
• Some pupils do not remember important knowledge from earlier learning.
• Teaching approaches are not always used consistently as intended, meaning some pupils miss out.
• Year 6 pupils are not as well prepared for their next steps as they should be.
• Improvements to teaching are too recent to have impacted on Year 6 attainment.

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 Upwell Academy attended 91.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 23.1% 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, 4.2% of pupils at Upwell 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 Upwell Academy had 20.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 44.4% 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, 19.4% of pupils at Upwell Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.2% 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 Upwell Academy received £7,658 and spent £6,915 for each of its 192 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £394,000 (£2,051 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of Eastern Multi-Academy Trust, income was £7,459 and spending £7,372 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 Wisbech · Norfolk local authority: places and applications

Upwell Academy is part of Eastern Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• Emneth Academy Wisbech
• Nelson Academy Downham Market
• Southery Academy Downham Market
• Eastgate Academy King'S Lynn
• King's Lynn Academy King'S Lynn
• Parkway Academy King'S Lynn
• North Wootton Academy King'S Lynn
• Glade Academy Brandon
• Norwich Road Academy Thetford
• Admirals Academy Thetford

What is Upwell Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Upwell Academy is Needs attention, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Upwell Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Upwell Academy was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Upwell Academy have?

Upwell Academy has 180 pupils on roll.

What age range does Upwell Academy cover?

Upwell Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Upwell Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 31% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Upwell Academy?

Upwell Academy is at School Road, Upwell, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE14 9EW.