Community school · Norfolk

Drake Primary School

4–11Ages
413Pupils
PrimaryPhase
120995URN

Fairfields, Croxton Road, Thetford, IP24 1JW · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Mar 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

close to Norfolk median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Norfolk

106 applications for 59 places · 100th of 180 in Norfolk

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

40%met the expected standard

Norfolk 57% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 3 March 2026Published 18 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion			Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching				Needs attention
Achievement				Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour			Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Strong standard
Early years		Strong standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance			Expected standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

3 March 2026
Report card · 2 Strong standard, 3 Expected standard, 2 Needs attention
16 November 2021
Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.8applications per place, Reception

close to Norfolk median (2.0) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

106 applications · 59 places offered · 68 named it first

2026 1.8; Norfolk median median 2.0
2025 1.9; Norfolk median median 2.0
2024 2.1; Norfolk median median 1.7
2023 1.8; Norfolk median median 1.7
2022 1.8; Norfolk median median 1.7
2021 2.1; Norfolk median median 1.7
2020 2.3; Norfolk median median 1.7
2019 2.5; Norfolk median median 1.7
2018 2.5; Norfolk median median 1.7
2017 2.1; Norfolk median median 1.6
2016 2.8; Norfolk median median 1.6
2015 2.5; Norfolk median median 1.7
2014 2.5; Norfolk median median 1.6

This school
Norfolk median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	59	106	1.8	68	1.15
Sep 2025	58	112	1.9	55	0.95
Sep 2024	57	117	2.1	73	1.28
Sep 2023	59	106	1.8	75	1.27
Sep 2022	58	107	1.8	68	1.17
Sep 2021	60	124	2.1	77	1.28
Sep 2020	60	138	2.3	71	1.18
Sep 2019	60	149	2.5	85	1.42
Sep 2018	60	151	2.5	87	1.45
Sep 2017	60	128	2.1	65	1.08
Sep 2016	60	168	2.8	104	1.73
Sep 2015	58	147	2.5	97	1.67
Sep 2014	60	152	2.5	90	1.50

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 72% · Writing 52% · Maths 52% → all three 40% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard40%224th of 263 in Norfolk

Norfolk 57% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard72%

Norfolk 73% England 78%

Higher standard19%

Norfolk 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard52%

Norfolk 68% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Norfolk 7% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard52%

Norfolk 71% England 77%

Higher standard3%

Norfolk 19% England 24%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Norfolk median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	40%	0%	103	100
2023/24	53%	5%	104	102
2022/23	42%	0%	104	98

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Drake Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

1.8applications per place 40%met the SATs standard
Admirals Academy
0.3 km · Norfolk

Good2024

57%met the SATs standard
Raleigh Infant Academy
0.3 km · Norfolk

Good2022

2.2applications per place
Norwich Road Academy
0.7 km · Norfolk

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.6applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
The Bishop's Church of England Primary Academy
1.5 km · Norfolk

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.3applications per place 27%met the SATs standard
Redcastle Family School
1.8 km · Norfolk

Good2022

2.3applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Queensway Junior Academy
1.9 km · Norfolk

Serious weaknesses 2026

51%met the SATs standard
Queensway Infant Academy
1.9 km · Norfolk

2026

1.4applications per place
Barnham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
5.0 km · Suffolk

Remains Good2022

2.2applications per place 57%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 120995 · 926/2377
Capacity: 420 pupils · 413 on roll
Free school meals: 12.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Address: Fairfields, Croxton Road, Thetford, IP24 1JW
Local authority: Norfolk · Breckland

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources