Heather Avenue Infant School

Heather Avenue Infant School is a caring, inclusive school where pupils are happy and achieve very well, especially in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders have built a broad, ambitious curriculum, and reading is central: phonics is taught consistently and pupils who fall behind are helped quickly. Early years provision is a particular strength, with children, including those with SEND, becoming confident, independent learners who are well prepared for key stage 1. Pupils behave well, relationships are positive, and personal development is a standout feature. The school prioritises PSHE, gives pupils opportunities to discuss philosophical questions and learn about cultures, and offers a wide range of activities and visits. Pupils with SEND are well supported, safeguarding is effective, and trust and local governors know the school well and provide support and challenge. This was the school's first section 5 inspection; it is an infant academy in the Wensum Trust and had not previously been inspected under this framework. The main area to improve is the wider curriculum. In some subjects beyond the core, teaching does not always present essential knowledge clearly enough, so some pupils may not retain key information or build on prior learning as securely. Leaders need to refine teaching approaches in those wider subjects so that all pupils secure and build on knowledge confidently across the whole curriculum.

Strengths

• Caring and inclusive school where pupils are happy and well cared for
• Pupils achieve exceptionally well in reading, writing and mathematics
• Reading is at the heart of the curriculum and phonics teaching is highly consistent
• Pupils at risk of falling behind in reading are identified and supported swiftly
• Early years provision is exceptionally strong and prepares children well for key stage 1
• Pupils with SEND are well supported and access the same curriculum as their peers
• Pupils behave well and have excellent attitudes to learning
• Personal development is outstanding, including PSHE, philosophical discussions and cultural learning
• A wide range of activities and educational visits enhance pupils' broader development
• Trust and local governors know the school well and provide effective support and challenge
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• Teaching in some wider curriculum subjects does not always present new knowledge clearly enough
• Some pupils may develop gaps in knowledge and struggle to build on prior learning over time

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 Heather Avenue Infant School attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.0% 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, 1.8% of pupils at Heather Avenue Infant 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 Heather Avenue Infant School had 19.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.4% 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, 10.1% of pupils at Heather Avenue Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 9.1% 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 Heather Avenue Infant School received £13,873 and spent £14,163 for each of its 114 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £17,000 (£148 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of The Wensum Trust, income was £7,356 and spending £7,170 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 Norwich · Norfolk local authority: places and applications

Heather Avenue Infant School is part of The Wensum Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• Firside Junior School Norwich
• Kinsale Junior School Norwich
• Kinsale Infant School Norwich
• Hellesdon High School Norwich
• Arden Grove Infant and Nursery School Norwich
• Garrick Green Infant School Norwich
• Lodge Lane Infant School Norwich
• Acle Academy Norwich
• Wells-Next-the-Sea Primary and Nursery School Wells-Next-The-Sea
• Alderman Peel High School Wells-Next-The-Sea

What is Heather Avenue Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Heather Avenue Infant School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Heather Avenue Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Heather Avenue Infant School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Heather Avenue Infant School have?

Heather Avenue Infant School has 99 pupils on roll.

What age range does Heather Avenue Infant School cover?

Heather Avenue Infant School for pupils aged 5 to 7.

Where is Heather Avenue Infant School?

Heather Avenue Infant School is at Heather Avenue, Hellesdon, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 6LT.