Tuckswood Academy

About Tuckswood Academy

Tuckswood Academy’s headline KS2 results tell a mixed story when set against the Norfolk local authority average. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined sits at 51%, just a whisker below the LA average of 52%. That puts the school in the bottom half of primary schools in Norwich, ranked 13th out of 22, and in the bottom 50% nationally. However, the picture is more nuanced than a single ranking suggests. In reading, 71% of pupils met the expected standard, and the average reading score of 102 is solid. Maths tells a slightly different tale: 63% reached the expected level, with an average score of 101. Where the school really struggles is at the higher end — just 7% of pupils achieved a higher standard in maths, and none did so in writing. So while Tuckswood broadly keeps pace with local averages for core skills, it clearly has work to do stretching its most able pupils.

The school’s recent Ofsted history shows real improvement. In its 2022 inspection, Tuckswood was rated Requires Improvement across the board, with every category scoring 3. By November 2024, inspectors had upgraded every area to Good — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision all now sit at Grade 2. That’s a significant turnaround in under three years, and it’s reflected in the parent view data too. Of the 42 parents who responded, 79% would recommend the school. Strong majorities agreed that their child is happy (91% strongly agree or agree) and that the school lets them know how their child is doing (88%). There are some warning signs though: 17% of parents disagreed that their child feels safe, and 24% disagreed that concerns are dealt with properly. The SEND support question also splits opinion — 21% strongly disagreed that children with special needs get the help they need.

Tuckswood is a smaller-than-average primary with 217 pupils against a capacity of 310, and it’s oversubscribed: for 2025/26, there were 30 applications for 16 places, all from first-preference families. The school serves a community with high levels of disadvantage — 45.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities include a library, outdoor playground, forest school, playing fields, sports hall and even a chapel. The sports on offer are rounders, athletics, cross country and swimming, while clubs range from chess and science to gardening, book club, film club and choir. SEND provision is broad, covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional needs, speech and language issues, visual impairment, physical disability, autism and other difficulties. This is a school that has clearly turned a corner under Emma Hoey-Smith’s leadership, and while academic stretch remains a challenge, it offers a well-resourced, inclusive environment that many local families clearly value.

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