Bignold Primary School and Nursery

Bignold Primary School and Nursery has been rated as a good school overall, marking its first inspection since becoming part of the Evolution Academy Trust in 2019. The school excels in fostering strong relationships among pupils and staff, creating an environment where children feel safe and valued. Pupils develop into polite and respectful individuals, actively engaging in school life through various clubs and roles, while teachers effectively support their learning, particularly in reading. However, there are some areas that need attention, especially concerning curriculum implementation in a few subjects for older pupils.

Strengths

• Strong and healthy relationships among pupils and staff.
• High expectations for pupil behaviour leading to minimal disruption in lessons.
• Effective reading instruction leading to a love of reading among pupils.
• Well-designed curriculum allowing pupils to learn and achieve.
• Strong support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Pupils actively participate in school life and community.
• Skilled adults providing high-quality care in early years provision.

Areas for Improvement

• Some older pupils have not developed deep knowledge in a few subjects due to previous curriculum issues.
• Members of the local governing body lack clarity on their roles and responsibilities.

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 Bignold Primary School and Nursery attended 94.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.3% 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, 3.5% of pupils at Bignold Primary School and Nursery 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 Bignold Primary School and Nursery had 21.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 23.1% 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, 14.8% of pupils at Bignold Primary School and Nursery 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 Bignold Primary School and Nursery received £6,989 and spent £7,033 for each of its 401 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £370,000 (£923 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of Evolution Academy Trust, income was £6,922 and spending £7,234 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

Bignold Primary School and Nursery is part of Evolution Academy Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• Nelson Infant School Norwich
• Wensum Junior School Norwich
• Angel Road Junior School Norwich
• Angel Road Infant School Norwich
• Eaton Primary School Norwich
• Costessey Primary School Norwich
• Filby Primary School Great Yarmouth
• Dell Primary School Lowestoft
• Elm Tree Primary School Lowestoft
• Poplars Community Primary School Lowestoft

What is Bignold Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bignold Primary School and Nursery is Good, from an inspection in July 2022.

When was Bignold Primary School and Nursery last inspected by Ofsted?

Bignold Primary School and Nursery was last inspected in July 2022.

How many pupils does Bignold Primary School and Nursery have?

Bignold Primary School and Nursery has 399 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bignold Primary School and Nursery cover?

Bignold Primary School and Nursery for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Bignold Primary School and Nursery's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bignold Primary School and Nursery?

Bignold Primary School and Nursery is at Wessex Street, Norwich, NR2 2SY.