Bacton Primary School

About Bacton Primary School

Bacton Primary School’s headline academic metrics sit well below the Norfolk local authority average for primary schools, which is a key point for parents to weigh up. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, just 25% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the LA average of 52%. That puts the school in the bottom 50 nationally for this measure, ranking 27th out of 30 schools in North Norfolk and in the 97th percentile nationally. The school’s Progress 8 scores are not available in the data, so it’s not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. However, the raw attainment figures are notably lower than the local norm, particularly in maths where only 44% reached the expected standard, and in reading where just 33% did. These numbers suggest that for families prioritising strong academic outcomes at the end of primary, Bacton may not be the strongest fit.

That said, the school’s Ofsted rating tells a more positive story. In its most recent graded inspection in July 2024, Bacton Primary School was judged Good across all five categories: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. The early years provision was also rated Good. This is a consistent improvement from the previous inspection in 2015, which also rated the school Good overall, though the early years provision at that time was graded as Requires Improvement. The school is small, with just 78 pupils on roll against a capacity of 105, and 23.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The headteacher is Roberta Houghton. While the KS2 results are below average, the Ofsted report suggests that the school provides a good standard of education and care, which may reassure parents who value a supportive environment over headline test scores.

Bacton Primary School offers a range of facilities including an outdoor playground, sports hall, art studios, music rooms, a sensory room, an ICT suite, and a chapel. Sports on offer include tennis, netball, swimming and gymnastics, and there are clubs for drama, choir, chess, coding and eco club. The school has a nursery provision for children aged two and above. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Admissions for the 2025/26 year show the school is oversubscribed, with 20 applications for 8 places and all 8 first-preference applicants offered a place, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.5. This suggests strong local demand despite the academic results, likely driven by the school’s small size, Good Ofsted rating, and the range of facilities and support on offer.

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