Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy

Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy has been judged as good overall, following its first inspection since opening under the Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust. The school exhibits a strong commitment to ensuring that all students thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment. With notable strengths in behaviour and personal development, pupils are keen to participate in a variety of leadership roles and activities that enrich their learning experience. The curriculum is robust, particularly in early reading and mathematics; however, some areas need refinement to ensure all students retain essential knowledge for successful learning progression.

Strengths

• Outstanding behaviour and attitudes among pupils
• Strong emphasis on early reading and mathematics
• High-quality music lessons available for all pupils
• Inclusive environment that promotes leadership skills
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)
• Extensive professional development opportunities for staff

Areas for Improvement

• Certain curriculum areas lack sufficient coverage of essential knowledge needed for progression

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 Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy attended 92.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 17.6% 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 Garboldisham Church of England Primary 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 Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy had 18.4 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, 9.7% of pupils at Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.8% 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 2021–22 Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy received £7,189 and spent £7,557 for each of its 89 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £29,000 (£325 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of The Diocese of Norwich St Benet'S Multi-Academy Trust, income was £4,539 and spending £4,992 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

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

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

What is Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy have?

Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy has 72 pupils on roll.

What age range does Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy cover?

Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 58% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy?

Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy is at Church Road, Garboldisham, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 2SE.