Raleigh Infant Academy

About Raleigh Infant Academy

Raleigh Infant Academy is clearly a school that local families want, with 90 applications for 41 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.2. All 36 first-preference applicants were offered a place, which suggests that for those who put it top of their list, demand is high but not impossible to meet. The school does not publish a parent view recommendation percentage in the data, so we cannot report that specific signal, but the oversubscription figures alone indicate strong local confidence. With just 131 pupils against a capacity of 322, the school is operating well below its maximum, which may reflect its infant-only intake (ages 3-7) and the fact that families often move on to junior schools after Year 2. The relatively low proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, at 8.4%, is notably below the national average and suggests a fairly advantaged catchment.

Academically, Raleigh Infant Academy was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2017. Every area inspected — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — was judged Good. This represents a clear turnaround in leadership under headteacher Greg Sadler. As an infant school, it does not participate in Key Stage 2 SATs, so there are no published progress or attainment scores to compare against the Norfolk local authority average of 52% achieving the expected standard. However, the early years provision was specifically praised as Good, which is a strong foundation for children starting their school journey. The school has a nursery provision, so children can join from age three, and the Good rating across all Ofsted categories suggests consistent quality from the earliest years through to Year 2.

The school offers a practical range of facilities including a forest school, library, sports hall, and playing fields, alongside clubs in art, film, and science. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health, speech language and communication, and hearing impairment. The school is non-religious and mixed gender, and its chapel facility is an unusual feature for a state infant school, though its use is not specified in the data. Raleigh Infant Academy will suit families in the Breckland area of Norfolk who want a smaller, community-focused infant setting with strong recent Ofsted outcomes and a clear upward trajectory. The oversubscription ratio confirms it is a popular choice, but the high first-preference offer rate means it is accessible for those who prioritise it.

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