Mattishall Primary School

Mattishall Primary School has improved significantly since its previous inspection, achieving a 'Good' rating across all domains. The school environment is positive, with pupils expressing pride in their school and feeling supported by staff. A well-structured curriculum is notable for its ambition, particularly in mathematics and reading, leading to improved pupil outcomes. However, some foundation subjects require further development to ensure a consistent delivery of the curriculum and to secure pupils' knowledge across all areas. While the school's strengths include effective early reading strategies and a supportive atmosphere, there are concerns regarding writing standards in foundation subjects. The school is addressing these areas but must ensure that the high expectations set in core subjects are matched in all areas of learning. Overall, the leadership team is clearly committed to continuous improvement.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate pride in their school and positive behavior.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum leading to improved results.
• Consistent and effective approach to teaching early reading.
• Strong pupil involvement and voice in school improvement.
• High-quality training and support for staff.

Areas for Improvement

• Some foundation subjects are at an early stage of implementation.
• Writing standards in foundation subjects do not match those in core subjects.

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 Mattishall Primary School attended 95.1% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Mattishall Primary 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 Mattishall Primary School had 16.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 15.9% of pupils at Mattishall Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.0% 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 Mattishall Primary School received £6,958 and spent £7,195 for each of its 160 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £44,000 (-£277 per pupil).

Across all 15 schools of Synergy Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,470 and spending £7,697 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

Mattishall Primary School is part of Synergy Multi Academy Trust, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• Bawdeswell Community Primary School Dereham
• Reepham High School and College Norwich
• Reepham Primary School Norwich
• Foulsham Primary School Academy Dereham
• Litcham School King'S Lynn
• Corpusty Primary School Norwich
• Astley Primary School Melton Constable
• Fakenham Infant and Nursery School Fakenham
• Fakenham Junior School Fakenham
• Gresham Village School and Nursery Norwich

What is Mattishall Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Mattishall Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Mattishall Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Mattishall Primary School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Mattishall Primary School have?

Mattishall Primary School has 164 pupils on roll.

What age range does Mattishall Primary School cover?

Mattishall Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Mattishall Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Mattishall Primary School?

Mattishall Primary School is at Dereham Road, Mattishall, Dereham, Norfolk, NR20 3AA.