Narborough Church of England Primary Academy

About Narborough Church of England Primary Academy

Narborough Church of England Primary Academy sits in an interesting position compared with the Norfolk primary average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 58% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is six percentage points above the local authority average of 52%. That gap is modest but consistent, and it places the school 102nd out of 344 primary schools in Norfolk, putting it comfortably in the top third of the county. The school’s ranking score of 58 places it in the bottom half nationally, but that’s a broad metric and doesn’t tell the full story. What stands out more is the spread of individual subject results: 83% of pupils met the expected standard in writing, and 75% did so in both reading and maths. Average scaled scores of 104 in reading and 104 in maths are exactly in line with the national average of 100, so the school is delivering solid, middle-of-the-road outcomes rather than exceptional highs or worrying lows.

Digging deeper into the data, the school’s Ofsted history shows a remarkable turnaround. In its 2015 graded inspection, Narborough was rated Inadequate overall, with leadership and management also judged Inadequate and early years provision requiring improvement. By the time of its 2018 graded inspection, the school had jumped to a Good rating across the board, and its most recent ungraded inspection in November 2024 confirmed that standards have been maintained. The early years provision, which had been a weak point, is now rated Good. The parent view, gathered from 21 responses between September 2024 and September 2025, is broadly positive: 76% would recommend the school, and 90% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy here. However, there are some notable splits. On behaviour, 24% disagreed or strongly disagreed that the school makes sure pupils are well behaved, and 24% also disagreed that concerns are dealt with properly. On SEND support, 30% disagreed or strongly disagreed that children get the help they need, which is a significant minority given that 48% of respondents said their child has SEND.

Narborough is a small Church of England primary with 87 pupils on roll against a capacity of 150, so there is plenty of space. It was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, with 19 applications for 9 places and all 9 first-preference offers accepted, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.11. The school offers a nursery provision and a good range of facilities including a sensory room, forest school, chapel, sports hall and playing fields. Clubs include art, drama, gardening, science and film, and sports on offer are netball, rounders, athletics, tennis and football. The SEND provisions cover dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health support. This is a school that suits families looking for a small, community-focused setting with a Christian character, where the headteacher Anne Neary has overseen a clear improvement journey. The parent view suggests it works well for many, but the mixed feedback on behaviour and SEND support means it’s worth visiting and asking specific questions if your child has additional needs.

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