Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School

About Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School

Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School has been rated Good overall by Ofsted following its most recent inspection in 2022, a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The inspection report highlights a particular strength in the Early Years provision, which was judged Outstanding, while the quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all received Good ratings. When it comes to academic outcomes at Key Stage 2, the school’s data tells a more mixed story. Just 23% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is well below the Norfolk local authority average of 52%. The school ranks 54th out of 58 primary schools in the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk area, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally. However, individual subject scores offer some nuance: the average maths score was 102, with 62% of pupils reaching the expected standard in that subject, and 15% achieving a higher standard in maths.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, reading and writing present greater challenges. Only 23% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, with 8% achieving a higher standard, while 38% met the expected standard in writing and none reached the higher threshold. No pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined. The average reading score was 98, slightly below the national benchmark of 100. Progress scores are not available for this cohort, so it is difficult to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. The school has a relatively high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 31.1%, which is significantly above the national average and may partly contextualise the attainment figures. For parents considering this school, the academic picture is one of a setting that has improved its Ofsted rating but is still working to lift pupil outcomes, particularly in literacy.

The school is a Church of England primary with a nursery, serving children from age 3 to 11, and is currently oversubscribed. For the 2025/26 intake, there were 25 applications for 11 places, with all 11 first-preference applicants receiving offers. The school offers a range of facilities including playing fields, an ICT suite, a Forest School area, a dining hall and a chapel. Sports provision covers netball, gymnastics, football, rounders, cricket, athletics and swimming, while clubs include drama, science club, coding, gardening, eco club and book club. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. With a total of 106 pupils against a capacity of 105, the school is operating at near-full capacity. This is a small, community-focused village school that may suit families who value the Church of England ethos, the Forest School and outdoor learning opportunities, and who are comfortable with a setting where academic outcomes are currently below the local average but where pastoral and early years provision have been recognised as strong by Ofsted.

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