Community school · Norfolk

St Mary's Community Primary School, Beetley

4–11Ages
156Pupils
PrimaryPhase
121011URN

Elmham Road, Beetley, Dereham, NR20 4BW · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jun 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

0.4 below Norfolk median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Norfolk

28 applications for 18 places · 132nd of 180 in Norfolk

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

28%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 30 June 2026Published 20 September 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching			Needs attention
Achievement			Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years		Expected 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

30 June 2026
Report card · 5 Expected standard, 2 Needs attention
10 October 2023
Graded inspection: Requires improvement
28 April 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

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

1.6applications per place, Reception

0.4 below Norfolk median (2.0) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

28 applications · 18 places offered · 18 named it first

2026 1.6; Norfolk median median 2.0
2025 1.2; Norfolk median median 2.0
2024 1.7; Norfolk median median 1.7
2023 1.2; Norfolk median median 1.7
2022 1.7; Norfolk median median 1.7
2021 1.6; Norfolk median median 1.7
2020 1.4; Norfolk median median 1.7
2019 1.2; Norfolk median median 1.7
2018 1.3; Norfolk median median 1.7
2017 1.1; Norfolk median median 1.6
2016 1.2; Norfolk median median 1.6
2015 1.4; Norfolk median median 1.7
2014 1.3; Norfolk median median 1.6

More applications per place than the Norfolk median in 1 of 13 years.

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	18	28	1.6	18	1.00
Sep 2025	22	26	1.2	22	1.00
Sep 2024	9	15	1.7	9	1.00
Sep 2023	28	34	1.2	28	1.00
Sep 2022	18	31	1.7	18	1.00
Sep 2021	25	40	1.6	25	1.00
Sep 2020	20	27	1.4	20	1.00
Sep 2019	29	36	1.2	27	0.93
Sep 2018	28	37	1.3	27	0.96
Sep 2017	21	24	1.1	18	0.86
Sep 2016	23	28	1.2	20	0.87
Sep 2015	23	33	1.4	23	1.00
Sep 2014	22	28	1.3	22	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 60% · Writing 28% · Maths 68% → all three 28% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard28%253rd of 263 in Norfolk

Norfolk 57% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard60%

Norfolk 73% England 78%

Higher standard36%

Norfolk 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard28%

Norfolk 68% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Norfolk 7% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard68%

Norfolk 71% England 77%

Higher standard20%

Norfolk 19% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (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	28%	0%	105	103
2023/24	21%	0%	102	99
2022/23	41%	7%	103	99

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

St Mary's Community Primary School, BeetleyThis school
This school

2026

1.6applications per place 28%met the SATs standard
Swanton Morley VC Primary School
3.6 km · Norfolk

Standards maintained2024

1.4applications per place 21%met the SATs standard
North Elmham Church of England Primary Academy & Nursery
3.9 km · Norfolk

Requires improvement2023

2.5applications per place 33%met the SATs standard
King's Park Infant School, Dereham
4.1 km · Norfolk

Standards maintained2025

1.9applications per place
Dereham Church of England Infant and Nursery Academy
4.4 km · Norfolk

Not yet inspected

1.9applications per place
Scarning Voluntary Controlled Primary School
4.6 km · Norfolk

Remains Good2024

1.8applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Grove House Infant and Nursery School
4.9 km · Norfolk

Standards maintained2025

2.1applications per place
Dereham Church of England Junior Academy
5.1 km · Norfolk

Remains Good2024

54%met the SATs standard
Brisley Church of England Primary Academy
5.6 km · Norfolk

Good2023

1.7applications per place 58%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 121011 · 926/2409
Capacity: 210 pupils · 156 on roll
Free school meals: 17.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Elmham Road, Beetley, Dereham, NR20 4BW
Local authority: Norfolk · Breckland

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources