Academy sponsor led · Norfolk

Bawdeswell Community Primary School

5–11Ages
85Pupils
PrimaryPhase
143949URN

Foxley Road, Bawdeswell, Dereham, NR20 4RR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Feb 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.3per place

0.3 above Norfolk median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Norfolk

32 applications for 14 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

18%met the expected standard

Norfolk 57% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 6 February 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		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

2.3applications per place, Reception

0.3 above Norfolk median (2.0) close to England median (2.2)

32 applications · 14 places offered · 13 named it first

2026 2.3; Norfolk median median 2.0
2025 3.3; Norfolk median median 2.0
2024 2.3; Norfolk median median 1.7
2023 1.7; Norfolk median median 1.7
2022 2.1; Norfolk median median 1.7
2021 1.3; Norfolk median median 1.7
2020 1.6; Norfolk median median 1.7
2019 1.9; Norfolk median median 1.7
2018 2.2; Norfolk median median 1.7
2017 2.2; Norfolk median median 1.6
2016 1.2; Norfolk median median 1.6; as the previous school
2015 1.5; Norfolk median median 1.7; as the previous school
2014 1.5; Norfolk median median 1.6; as the previous school

This school
Norfolk median

Dashed bars: as Bawdeswell Community Primary School (URN 120785), the previous school.

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	14	32	2.3	13	0.93
Sep 2025	10	33	3.3	10	1.00
Sep 2024	7	16	2.3	7	1.00
Sep 2023	15	26	1.7	15	1.00
Sep 2022	10	21	2.1	10	1.00
Sep 2021	15	19	1.3	13	0.87
Sep 2020	14	23	1.6	14	1.00
Sep 2019	14	27	1.9	18	1.29
Sep 2018	10	22	2.2	10	1.00
Sep 2017	9	20	2.2	7	0.78
Sep 2016 *	12	14	1.2	8	0.67
Sep 2015 *	12	18	1.5	11	0.92
Sep 2014 *	15	23	1.5	16	1.07

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 73% · Writing 55% · Maths 36% → all three 18% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard18%259th of 263 in Norfolk

Norfolk 57% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard73%

Norfolk 73% England 78%

Higher standard18%

Norfolk 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard55%

Norfolk 68% England 75%

Greater depth9%

Norfolk 7% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard36%

Norfolk 71% England 77%

Higher standard9%

Norfolk 19% England 24%

Average scaled score 99 (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	18%	9%	105	99
2023/24	22%	0%	105	97
2022/23	40%	10%	102	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

Bawdeswell Community Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

2.3applications per place 18%met the SATs standard
Lyng Church of England Primary Academy
4.0 km · Norfolk

2026

1.9applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
Foulsham Primary School Academy
4.1 km · Norfolk

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.7applications per place 44%met the SATs standard
Swanton Morley VC Primary School
4.7 km · Norfolk

Standards maintained2024

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

Requires improvement2023

2.5applications per place 33%met the SATs standard
Reepham Primary School
6.0 km · Norfolk

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.8applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Great Witchingham Church of England Primary Academy
6.3 km · Norfolk

Standards maintained2024

50%met the SATs standard
St Mary's Community Primary School, Beetley
7.3 km · Norfolk

2026

1.6applications per place 28%met the SATs standard
Hockering Church of England Primary Academy
8.6 km · Norfolk

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.3applications per place 67%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: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 143949 · 926/2150
Trust: Synergy Multi Academy Trust
Capacity: 105 pupils · 85 on roll
Free school meals: 22.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 February 2017
Replaced: Bawdeswell Community Primary School (URN 120785)
Address: Foxley Road, Bawdeswell, Dereham, NR20 4RR
Local authority: Norfolk · Breckland

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