Bunwell Primary School, Norwich
Bunwell Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Norwich, part of Co-Operative Education East. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 85th-highest of the 102 schools in Norwich with published results, and 12,428th of 14,452 across England. It was 70% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Norfolk (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bunwell Primary School in detail
Bunwell Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Our children will have their self esteem nurtured to enable them to be happy in themselves and achieve their full potential. We will ensure children are confident in their ability. We will ensure they are able to recognise the areas in which they are not as strong, and are confident in their strategies for progressing."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, cricket, cross-country and forest school.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care until 5:30pm.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Bunwell Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 58% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 70% in Norfolk and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 75% in reading and 81% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Bunwell Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 5 families put Bunwell Primary School as their first choice and 12 named it as one of their preferences, for 5 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Bunwell Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Bunwell Primary School are Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.7 miles, Requires improvement, 25% reading, 25% maths); Tacolneston Church of England Primary Academy (1.8 miles, 80% reading, 53% maths); Aslacton Primary School (2.3 miles, Good, 75% reading, 75% maths); and Forncett St Peter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 67% reading, 33% maths).
Bunwell Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolTacolneston Church of England Primary AcademyAslacton Primary SchoolForncett St Peter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
The trust
Bunwell Primary School is one of 3 schools run by Co-Operative Education East, an academy trust.
What parents say
16 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Bunwell Primary School (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (94%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (75%).
Who goes there
11% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 15 pupils (20.5%) received SEN support and 2 (2.7%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Bunwell Primary School had 7 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 Spooner Row Rail Station, about 3.5 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is hall (adjacent), 250 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Norfolk (28).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bunwell Primary School issued 11 suspensions, 12.6 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; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Bunwell Primary School creates a warm, caring environment where children feel valued and supported. The school has excellent reading provision with structured phonics teaching that helps pupils progress confidently. Staff are highly trained and work closely with families and outside agencies to ensure every child, especially those with additional needs, gets the help they need to succeed.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with systematic phonics teaching and regular checks - pupils achieve well in national reading tests
- Welcoming, kind and nurturing ethos where pupils feel safe and supported
- Clear identification and effective support for pupils with SEND through careful adaptations and external professional guidance
- Ambitious curriculum with knowledge, skills and vocabulary clearly mapped out for pupils to build learning progressively
- Strong staff subject knowledge and supportive leadership that prioritises staff well-being
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not always check effectively what pupils remember across all subjects, and some misconceptions go unchallenged
- Learning activities sometimes do not precisely match what teachers want pupils to know and remember, which can slow progress
- Inconsistent delivery of the curriculum means some pupils do not build on prior learning as well as they could
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Skateboarding club, cross country, residential visits, shows and concerts
Bunwell Primary School is a welcoming, nurturing school at the heart of its community where pupils feel listened to and well cared for. The school has improved from its previous 'Requires Improvement' rating and now provides a good quality of education with strong pastoral support.
At a Glance
11.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
16 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 75% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 81% to 58% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 50% to 33% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
17.8
Avg class size
22.0
Infant (KS1)
17.0
KS2
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Bunwell Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bunwell Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bunwell 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)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
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 Bunwell Primary School
Will you get a place at Bunwell Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Bunwell Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Bunwell Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Bunwell 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 Bunwell Primary School for 2017 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
70%
Available places
74 pupils
105 places
31 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Norwich
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Norwich
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(4)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
15
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
23.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
73
Total Pupils
41
Boys
32
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
10.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,988
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,447
Per pupil
£542k
Total funding
£18k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.8%
Overall absence
20.3%
Persistent absence
74
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Bunwell Primary School
What are SATs results like at Bunwell Primary School?
Of the pupils at Bunwell Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 58% did so in maths.
What is Bunwell Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Bunwell Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Bunwell Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Bunwell 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 Bunwell Primary School?
Bunwell Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 70% of its 105 places.
How big are the classes at Bunwell Primary School?
Classes at Bunwell Primary School average 17.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Bunwell Primary School?
Bunwell Primary School has around 73 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Bunwell Primary School?
5.8% of sessions were missed at Bunwell Primary School in 2024/25. 20.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bunwell Primary School?
Apply through Norfolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Bunwell 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 Bunwell Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Norfolk is 4 (the median across 462 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bunwell Primary School?
Bunwell Primary School is at The Turnpike, Bunwell, Norwich, Norfolk, NR16 1SN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)