North Walsham Infant School

North Walsham Infant School has demonstrated good overall performance in its first inspection since becoming an academy in 2018. The school has established a positive and respectful atmosphere, where pupils feel safe and enthused about learning. The ambitious curriculum is well-structured, supporting pupils' development from early years through Year 1. Teachers effectively assess student progress and provide support, particularly for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), ensuring inclusion and high expectations across the board.

Strengths

• Strong emphasis on early reading and phonics programs.
• Supportive and inclusive environment for all students.
• Effective relationships between pupils and staff.
• Ambitious and well-designed curriculum.
• Strong leadership promoting staff well-being and teamwork.

Areas for Improvement

• Some curriculum areas are new, requiring further teacher development.
• Not all activities are adapted for different pupil abilities, impacting learning outcomes.

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 North Walsham Infant School attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.0% 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, 3.9% of pupils at North Walsham 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 North Walsham Infant School had 14.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.5% 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 North Walsham Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.0% 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 North Walsham Infant School received £7,886 and spent £7,768 for each of its 155 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £11,000 (-£69 per pupil).

Across all 18 schools of Broad Horizons Education Trust, income was £8,232 and spending £8,091 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 North Walsham · Norfolk local authority: places and applications

North Walsham Infant School is part of Broad Horizons Education Trust, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

• North Walsham Junior School North Walsham
• East Ruston Infant School & Nursery Norwich
• Stalham Infant School and Nursery Norwich
• Stalham Academy Norwich
• Hemblington Primary School Norwich
• Sprowston Community Academy Norwich
• St. Clements Hill Primary Academy Norwich
• Martham Academy and Nursery Great Yarmouth
• Sewell Park Academy Norwich
• Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form Norwich

What is North Walsham Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for North Walsham Infant School is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

When was North Walsham Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

North Walsham Infant School was last inspected in January 2023.

How many pupils does North Walsham Infant School have?

North Walsham Infant School has 151 pupils on roll.

What age range does North Walsham Infant School cover?

North Walsham Infant School for pupils aged 4 to 7.

Where is North Walsham Infant School?

North Walsham Infant School is at Manor Road, North Walsham, Norfolk, NR28 9HG.