Classpot

Nelson Academy

King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE38 9PFPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Nov 2022
KS2 Results
66%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
39 1st-choice / 42 places
Ranking
#5,737
of 13,686 nationally

About Nelson Academy

Nelson Academy is a primary school in King's Lynn and West Norfolk that is currently running well above its official capacity, with 403 pupils on roll against a capacity of 378. That oversubscription is no accident: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 59 applications for 42 places, with 39 of those coming as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.4. The pupil body is notably diverse in terms of disadvantage, with 33.9% of children eligible for free school meals — significantly higher than the national average of around 23%, suggesting the school serves a community with above-average levels of economic need. Despite this, the school has held a Good rating from Ofsted since its 2016 graded inspection, and its most recent ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed it remains Good. Leadership and management, as well as early years provision, were both rated Good in that inspection, which is a marked improvement from the school's previous overall rating of Inadequate back in 2012.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressNursery Road, Downham Market, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE38 9PF
HeadteacherSarah Wilson
Local AuthorityNorfolk
Number of Pupils403
Free School Meals (FSM)33.9%
School Capacity403 / 378 (107% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

9 Nov 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (9 Nov 2022): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 12 Jan 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
LibraryPlaying FieldsSports HallICT SuiteGymnasiumMusic RoomsArt StudiosChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

11

Sports

CricketDanceSwimmingGymnasticsFootballRoundersAthletics

Clubs & Activities

DramaGardeningChoirEco Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

Resourced Provision
AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyResourced ProvisionMulti-SensoryOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Nelson Academy

Nelson Academy has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.