Diss Church of England Junior Academy

Diss Church of England Junior Academy has been rated as good in all inspected areas, reflecting a positive educational environment where pupils are thriving. Staff have successfully created a calm and caring atmosphere that fosters strong relationships between pupils and teachers, contributing to pupils' happiness and well-being. The school is particularly praised for its ambitious curriculum and effective teaching practices, which are helping pupils learn and retain knowledge across several subjects, including geography and art.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, settled, and flourishing in a supportive environment.
• Strong relationships developed between staff and pupils enhance learning.
• Teachers have a good understanding of effective curriculum and teaching methods.
• Pupils receive praise and support that fosters their confidence.
• A strong focus on reading development helps pupils progress in literacy.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Leaders engage with the community and are highly regarded by parents.

Areas for Improvement

• Some assessments in certain subjects do not provide consistent long-term retention indicators.
• Early reading support is not as effective as it could be, impacting some pupils' progress.

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 Diss Church of England Junior Academy attended 93.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.8% 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, 4.9% of pupils at Diss Church of England Junior 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 Diss Church of England Junior Academy had 19.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 35.6% 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, 22.8% of pupils at Diss Church of England Junior Academy 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 Diss Church of England Junior Academy received £16,747 and spent £15,436 for each of its 162 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £74,000 (£460 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of The Diocese of Norwich St Benet'S Multi-Academy Trust, income was £9,471 and spending £9,419 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 Diss · Norfolk local authority: places and applications

Diss Church of England Junior Academy is part of The Diocese of Norwich St Benet'S Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 19 schools. The nearest others:

• Diss Infant Academy and Nursery Diss
• Scole Church of England Primary Academy Diss
• Dickleburgh Church of England Primary Academy (With Pre-School) Diss
• Pulham Church of England Primary Academy Diss
• Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy Diss
• The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) Harleston
• St Mary's Church of England Junior Academy Norwich
• Tacolneston Church of England Primary Academy Norwich
• Alburgh With Denton Church of England Primary Academy Harleston
• Morley Church of England Primary Academy Wymondham

What is Diss Church of England Junior Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Diss Church of England Junior Academy is Good, from an inspection in November 2022.

When was Diss Church of England Junior Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Diss Church of England Junior Academy was last inspected in November 2022.

How many pupils does Diss Church of England Junior Academy have?

Diss Church of England Junior Academy has 149 pupils on roll.

What age range does Diss Church of England Junior Academy cover?

Diss Church of England Junior Academy for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Diss Church of England Junior Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Diss Church of England Junior Academy?

Diss Church of England Junior Academy is at The Entry, Diss, IP22 4NT.