Barnham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 5 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Mill Lane, Barnham, Thetford, IP24 2NGOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Barnham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a primary school in Thetford for ages 5 to 11. It is one of the 357 schools in Suffolk. It ranks 12th of 18 primary schools in Thetford. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in July 2013.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 10 July 2013, report published 5 September 2013

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 December 2022

Pupils are proud of their school. They say this is because 'we keep going and do not stop. We celebrate as a school not as individuals'. Pupils feel safe and are kept safe. Bullying rarely happens. If pupils have a worry, they can tell any adult who they know will help. Pupils listen respectfully in lessons and are enthusiastic about their learning. Classrooms are calm places where pupils focus on their learning. Pupils respond well to teachers' high expectations about learning. This helps pupils to achieve well. They value the trips they go on which helps to make learning memorable and real. Visits to a local farm provided pupils with opportunities to use their mathematical skills to decide which machinery the farmer could buy. A wide range of clubs are on offer. Pupils enjoy participating in these. They include computing, chess, book club and dodgeball. These provide opportunities for pupils to learn new skills and develop their talents. Pupils have many ways that they can take on roles of responsibility. Pupils feel valued. Their voice brings about changes in their school. Pupil 'MPs' chose dishes for the lunch menu and led an assembly promoting reading for pleasure.

What the school should improve

  • Where teachers' implementation of the curriculum does not fully reflect leaders' plans, pupils do not receive sufficient opportunities to revisit and practise using important knowledge and skills. Where this is the case, pupils' knowledge and understanding are less secure. Leaders, including subject leaders, should ensure that all areas of the curriculum are implemented to a consistently high quality.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

21 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths57%

57%, 5 percentage points below the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths0%

0%, 8 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score103

103, 3 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score100

100, 5 below the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score101

101, 4 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

155 pupils on roll, with places for 146

Eligible for free school meals13.5%

13.5%, 13 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language3.9%

3.9%, 17.7 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support29%

29%, 14.2 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan9%

9%, 3 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near Barnham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Queensway Infant Academy2 milesReport card: Expected standard to strong standardNot published
Queensway Junior Academy2 milesReport card: Needs attention to expected standard51% met the expected standard
Redcastle Family School2 milesOfsted: Good70% met the expected standard
Norwich Road Academy3 milesOfsted judgements: Good to outstanding58% met the expected standard
The Bishop's Church of England Primary Academy3 milesOfsted judgements: Requires improvement to good27% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Voluntary controlled school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
5 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Mrs Amy Arnold
Address
Mill Lane, Barnham, Thetford, IP24 2NG
Local authority
Suffolk
URN
124688

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.