Happisburgh Church of England Primary Academy

About Happisburgh Church of England Primary Academy

Happisburgh Church of England Primary Academy currently holds an Ofsted rating of Requires Improvement, a step down from the Good rating it received in its previous inspection in 2012. The most recent graded inspection, carried out in October 2021, found that the quality of education, early years provision, and leadership and management all require improvement, while personal development and behaviour and attitudes were rated Good. With just 49 pupils on roll against a capacity of 98, the school is significantly undersubscribed, though it was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving seven applications for a single place. This small, rural Church of England primary in North Norfolk serves a community where 12.2 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, slightly below the national average.

Academic outcomes data for the school is limited, but the local authority average for Key Stage 2 attainment sits at 52 per cent, a benchmark against which the school’s performance can be measured. The school does not publish its own KS2 results in the available data, so parents may wish to request these directly. Ofsted’s breakdown notes that the quality of education requires improvement, which often correlates with below-average attainment, though the school’s small cohort size can make year-on-year comparisons volatile. The previous Good rating suggests the school has the capacity to improve, and the current leadership team, led by headteacher Laura Watts, will be working to address the areas identified in the inspection report.

The school offers a strong set of facilities for its size, including a music room, art studios, a sensory room, an ICT suite, a library, a sports hall, and a forest school, alongside playing fields and a chapel. Sports provision includes athletics, netball, gymnastics, and tennis, and clubs such as eco club, choir, and film club are available. SEND support covers specific learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, visual impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. Given its small roll and rural setting, this school is likely to suit families seeking a close-knit, village-based primary with a Christian character, where individual attention is possible. The oversubscription in 2025/26 suggests strong local demand, but the overall low capacity means places are limited.

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