Bressingham Primary School, Diss
Bressingham Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Diss. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 7 schools in Diss with published results, and 4,333rd of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 116% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Norfolk (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bressingham Primary School in detail
Bressingham Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "A very warm welcome to Bressingham Primary School. I am extremely proud of our school and the vibrant, nurturing community we have created here. At Bressingham, we are passionate about providing an exceptional educational experience that allows each child to thrive academically, socially and emotionally."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, athletics, cross-country, choir, gardening and forest school.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care, from £6 per session.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at Bressingham Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 93% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 70% in Norfolk and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (85% in reading, 85% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Bressingham Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 20 families put Bressingham Primary School as their first choice and 35 named it as one of their preferences, for 20 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Bressingham Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Bressingham Primary School are Roydon Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 69% reading, 71% maths); St Andrew's CofE VA Primary School, Lopham (2.6 miles, Requires improvement, 75% reading, 63% maths); Diss Church of England Junior Academy (2.6 miles, Good, 70% reading, 70% maths); and Wortham Primary School (2.7 miles, Outstanding, 100% reading, 94% maths).
Bressingham Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Roydon Primary SchoolSt Andrew's CofE VA Primary School, LophamDiss Church of England Junior AcademyWortham Primary School
Who goes there
8.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (91%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 15 pupils (10.8%) received SEN support and 1 (0.7%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Staffing
Bressingham Primary School had 13 teachers in 2026, one for every 11 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Diss Rail Station, about 3.2 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Memorial (adjacent), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Norfolk (28).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bressingham Primary School issued 4 suspensions, 2.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils live and breathe the school's 'ACORN' values. Adult's high expectations of pupils ensure they 'Aspire' to be the best they can. Similarly, pupils 'Collaborate' with, and 'Respect', one another. This means the school is a happy and harmonious place for pupils of all ages to learn, play and have fun together. Pupils know that when play stops and work starts it is time to focus and do their best. They take pride in their learning and know right from wrong.
Pupils trust that adults will do their best for them. They know it's okay to share worries or concerns with adults. When they do, adults help and support pupils to overcome issues and make things better. Pupils know everyone is an individual and it is okay to be yourself. They celebrate differences between themselves and others. Pupils develop a rich appreciation of different cultures, religions and beliefs.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has ensured pupils learn an ambitious curriculum. Consequently, pupils develop rich and detailed knowledge in many subjects. Pupils remember a great deal about what they have learned. This is because teachers explain concepts and ideas clearly. Teachers support pupils to revise and recap their learning regularly. This further supports how well pupils retain important knowledge.
Teachers have strong subject knowledge of the subjects they teach. They use this knowledge well, for example to provide pupils with precise guidance to develop their vocabulary in different subjects. Pupils across the school produce high-quality artwork because they learn the specific skills and techniques they need to achieve well. Tasks become more complex as pupils know more and remember more. In mathematics, pupils tackle tricky problems successfully because they have learned the important knowledge they need to solve them.
From Ofsted's July 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2013 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
8.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 85% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 85% to 93% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
19.9
Avg class size
18.0
Infant (KS1)
21.3
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Bressingham Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bressingham Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bressingham Primary School is in Norfolk; for families living there:
Apply to Norfolk for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Norfolk is 4 (the median across 462 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Bressingham Primary School
Will you get a place at Bressingham Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Bressingham Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Bressingham Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Bressingham Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Norfolk, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Bressingham Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Norfolk got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
116%
Over capacity
138 pupils
119 places
19 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Diss
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Diss
Across Norfolk council
Places available
9,547
Applications
7,482
Got 1st preference
94.4%
Got preferred school
98.7%
All primary applications across Norfolk council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
15
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
11.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
139
Total Pupils
78
Boys
61
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
10.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,911
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,319
Per pupil
£804k
Total funding
£15k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
2.6%
Overall absence
2.4%
Persistent absence
123
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Bressingham Primary School
What are SATs results like at Bressingham Primary School?
Of the pupils at Bressingham Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% reached the expected standard in reading and 93% did so in maths.
What is Bressingham Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Bressingham Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Bressingham Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Bressingham Primary School is oversubscribed, Norfolk allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Bressingham Primary School?
Bressingham Primary School was full in 2025, at 116% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Bressingham Primary School?
Classes at Bressingham Primary School average 19.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Bressingham Primary School?
Bressingham Primary School has around 139 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Bressingham Primary School?
2.6% of sessions were missed at Bressingham Primary School in 2024/25. 2.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bressingham Primary School?
Apply through Norfolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Bressingham Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Bressingham Primary School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Norfolk is 4 (the median across 462 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bressingham Primary School?
Bressingham Primary School is at School Road, Bressingham, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 2AR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)