Academy sponsor led · Norfolk

Swaffham Meadow Primary School

4–11Ages
61Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
151217URN

4 Sporle Road, Swaffham, PE37 7HL · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Category of concern: Serious weaknesses

Graded inspection · Feb 2024 Previous framework

Inadequate

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

0.9per place

1.1 below Norfolk median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Norfolk

13 applications for 15 places · 180th of 180 in Norfolk

Every year since 2020

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

0%met the expected standard

Norfolk 57% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Ofsted category of concern: Serious weaknesses

Overall effectiveness: Inadequate · 7 February 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education			Inadequate
Behaviour and attitudes		Requires improvement
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement
Early years provision		Requires improvement

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

0.9applications per place, Reception

1.1 below Norfolk median (2.0) 1.3 below England median (2.2)

13 applications · 15 places offered · 3 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 0.9; Norfolk median median 2.0
2025 0.8; Norfolk median median 2.0
2024 1.5; Norfolk median median 1.7; as the previous school
2023 1.1; Norfolk median median 1.7; as the previous school
2022 1.4; Norfolk median median 1.7; as the previous school
2021 3.5; Norfolk median median 1.7; as the previous school
2020 2.1; Norfolk median median 1.7; as the previous school

This school
Norfolk median

Dashed bars: as Sacred Heart Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School (URN 147290), 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	15	13	0.9	3	0.20
Sep 2025	22	18	0.8	2	0.09
Sep 2024 *	17	26	1.5	7	0.41
Sep 2023 *	18	20	1.1	12	0.67
Sep 2022 *	11	15	1.4	9	0.82
Sep 2021 *	10	35	3.5	9	0.90
Sep 2020 *	14	29	2.1	14	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 27% · Writing 0% · Maths 13% → all three 0% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard0%263rd of 263 in Norfolk

Norfolk 57% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard27%

Norfolk 73% England 78%

Higher standard7%

Norfolk 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 98 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard0%

Norfolk 68% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Norfolk 7% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard13%

Norfolk 71% England 77%

Higher standard0%

Norfolk 19% England 24%

Average scaled score 94 (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	0%	0%	98	94
2023/24
2022/23

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

Swaffham Meadow Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Serious weaknesses Inadequate2024

0.9applications per place 0%met the SATs standard
Heartwood CofE VC Primary & Nursery School
0.5 km · Norfolk

Good2023

2.3applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Swaffham CofE Primary Academy
1.2 km · Norfolk

Good2023

2.4applications per place 41%met the SATs standard
Sporle Church of England Primary Academy
3.7 km · Norfolk

Good2022

2.0applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Necton VA Primary School
6.0 km · Norfolk

2026

1.5applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Castle Acre Church of England Primary Academy
6.2 km · Norfolk

Standards maintained2025

2.3applications per place 33%met the SATs standard
Ashill Voluntary Controlled Primary School
8.2 km · Norfolk

Good2023

2.7applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Narborough Church of England Primary Academy
8.3 km · Norfolk

Standards maintained2024

1.7applications per place 44%met the SATs standard
Gooderstone Church of England Primary Academy
9.2 km · Norfolk

Remains Good2024

2.0applications per place

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: 151217 · 926/2270
Trust: Sapientia Education Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 61 on roll
Free school meals: 32.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2024
Replaced: Sacred Heart Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School (URN 147290)
Address: 4 Sporle Road, Swaffham, PE37 7HL
Local authority: Norfolk · Breckland

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