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The Bishop's Church of England Primary Academy

Breckland, IP24 1EBPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
4 Good · 1 Requires improvement
Mar 2025
KS2 Results
14%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
29 1st-choice / 31 places
Ranking
#13,626
of 13,686 nationally

About The Bishop's Church of England Primary Academy

The Bishop's Church of England Primary Academy in Breckland is a state primary for children aged 3 to 11, currently home to 359 pupils against a capacity of 430. That leaves some physical room, but demand tells a different story: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 46 applications for 31 places, with 29 of those coming as first preferences, making it officially oversubscribed with a ratio of 1. 48 applicants per place. The pupil body is notably diverse in terms of disadvantage, with 58. 5% of children eligible for free school meals — a figure well above the national average and a key demographic marker for the area. The school has a Church of England religious character and is led by headteacher Heather Madsen. It also offers nursery provision, which will be a practical consideration for local families with younger children. The mix of a high FSM cohort and oversubscription suggests a school that serves a specific community need while still attracting strong local interest.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressCanterbury Way, Thetford, Breckland, IP24 1EB
HeadteacherHeather Madsen
Local AuthorityNorfolk
Number of Pupils359
Free School Meals (FSM)58.5%
School Capacity359 / 430 (83% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

What 15 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, 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

4 Mar 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 29 Apr 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguagePhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Source: bishop.norfolk.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Bishop's Church of England Primary Academy

The Bishop's Church of England Primary Academy has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.