Heartsease Primary Academy

About Heartsease Primary Academy

Heartsease Primary Academy’s headline metrics sit noticeably below the Norfolk local authority average for primary schools. While the LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined (KS2) stands at 52%, Heartsease recorded just 20% in the 2023/24 academic year. That gap is significant and places the school in the bottom 50 nationally for this measure, ranked 255th out of 344 primary schools in Norfolk. The school’s overall ranking score of 20 reflects this, and it sits at the very bottom of its immediate Norwich local authority table. However, the picture is not uniformly low. Reading scores are stronger: 68% of pupils met the expected standard, and the average reading score of 102 is above the national baseline of 100. Maths tells a similar story, with 62% reaching the expected standard and an average score of exactly 100. The real challenge lies in writing, where only 20% of pupils met the expected standard and none achieved the higher standard.

Heartsease’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2023, rated the school Good overall, with Good in every category including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is a notable shift from its previous inspection in 2016, when it was rated Outstanding overall, with Outstanding leadership and management and a Requires Improvement mark for early years provision. The current Good rating suggests a school that has stabilised after a period of change. The school has a nursery provision and caters for children aged 2 to 11, with 443 pupils on roll against a capacity of 436, meaning it is slightly oversubscribed. Free school meal eligibility is high at 34.9%, well above the national average, reflecting the socio-economic context of the area. The school has a sensory room, sports hall, gymnasium, library and chapel, and offers a wide range of sports including swimming, tennis and netball, plus clubs like drama, choir, film club, chess and gardening.

For families considering Heartsease, the key takeaway is a school that is well-regarded by Ofsted but whose academic outcomes, particularly in writing, lag behind local and national averages. The oversubscription data for 2025/26 shows 46 applications for 34 places, with 30 first-preference offers made, indicating solid local demand despite the results. The school’s SEND provisions are broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment and physical disability, which may appeal to families whose children need additional support. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Mousehold Infant & Nursery School, 1.4 km away, which could be an alternative for families prioritising top-tier Ofsted grades. Heartsease is likely to suit families who value a supportive, inclusive environment with strong early years and nursery provision, and who are comfortable with a school that is working to improve its academic outcomes rather than one already at the top of the local league tables.

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