Holy Cross Church of England Primary School
69%
Capacity
48
Pupils
2.6x
Demand
About Holy Cross Church of England Primary School
Holy Cross Church of England Primary School is a small state primary in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, currently teaching 48 pupils against a capacity of 70, meaning there is room for growth. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 33.3%, which is notably higher than the national average for primary schools, reflecting the school's intake from a community with above-average levels of deprivation. Despite this, the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 13 applications for just 5 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.6 to one. Only 3 of those applications were first-preference offers, suggesting that while the school is popular, many families are listing it as a lower choice. The school is mixed-gender, Church of England, and serves children from age 2 through to 11, with nursery provision on site.
Academically, Holy Cross has made a strong recovery. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, it was rated Good across all categories, a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2019. At Key Stage 2, 70% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the local authority average of 52%. The school also performs strongly at the higher standard: 10% of pupils achieved the higher benchmark in all three subjects, while 40% reached that level in writing. Average scaled scores were 103 in maths and 104 in reading, both slightly above the national average of 100. Nationally, the school ranks in the top 31% of all primaries for the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, and sits 6th out of 58 schools in the King's Lynn and West Norfolk area.
The school offers a solid range of facilities for its size, including a gymnasium, sports hall, playing fields, library, ICT suite, music rooms and a chapel. Sports provision covers cricket, rounders, dance and football, while extracurricular clubs include book club, drama, choir, chess and eco club. The school has identified three areas of SEND provision: social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication; and autistic spectrum disorder. With its small roll, strong academic outcomes relative to the local area, and clear demand for places, Holy Cross is a good fit for families in the King's Lynn area who want a church school with a tight-knit feel and a proven track record of improvement. The oversubscription means early application is essential.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 2 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | School Road, King's Lynn, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE33 0EL |
| Headteacher | Emma Zeil |
| Local Authority | Norfolk |
| Number of Pupils | 48 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 33.3% |
| School Capacity | 48 / 70 (69% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Jul 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 25 Sept 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (70%)
4263rd of 13,686
Nationally
446th of 1,612
In East of England
6th of 58
In King's Lynn and West Norfolk
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
70%
Expected Standard
10%
Higher Standard
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
9Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed5
13
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
3 families put this school as their 1st choice (23% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:20
Breakfast club
08:00-08:55
After-school care
15:20-17:30
Source: holycross.demat.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British95.8%
- White (other)2.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
1
Total schools
1
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Holy Cross Church of England Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
School Road, King's Lynn
King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE33 0EL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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