Fairstead Community Primary and Nursery School

About Fairstead Community Primary and Nursery School

Fairstead Community Primary and Nursery School sits in the bottom half of primary schools in Norfolk when it comes to the key headline measure of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2. Its 2023/24 figure of 47% is five percentage points below the local authority average of 52%, and the school ranks 178th out of 344 primary schools in the county. That said, the picture is more nuanced than a single number suggests. In reading, 72% of pupils hit the expected standard, and the average reading score of 104 is solid. Maths is weaker, with 58% reaching the expected level and an average score of 102. The school also has a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 31.2%, which is well above the national average, and this context matters when interpreting its overall performance.

The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2025 judged it Good across all five graded areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is a consistent improvement from its previous inspection in 2011, which also rated overall effectiveness as Good but gave early years a lower grade. At Key Stage 2, no pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, and the proportion reaching the higher standard in individual subjects was modest: 22% in reading, 17% in maths, and none in writing. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. Parent View responses from 19 respondents show a mixed picture: 89% of parents agree or strongly agree their child is happy, but only 53% agree or strongly agree that concerns are dealt with properly.

Fairstead is a three-form entry primary with nursery provision, and it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 admissions, receiving 71 applications for 48 places, with 47 first-preference offers made. The school offers a range of facilities including a sports hall, playing fields, an ICT suite, music rooms, and a library, plus clubs such as drama, choir, film club, science club and art club. Sports on offer include gymnastics, athletics, football and dance. For children with additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, visual impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. The nearest outstanding-rated primary is Eastgate Academy, 2.4 km away. Fairstead is a good-rated school serving a community with above-average disadvantage, and its results reflect that challenge rather than any lack of ambition.

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