Charles Darwin Primary School, Norwich

Outstanding
Primary
Free schools
Mixed
Ages 211

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~743m)Possible (~1.1km)Unlikely (~1.4km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Ms Maxine Sebire
Pupils:465 / 420 capacity
LA:Norfolk
Phone:01603733166
Address:81 Rose Lane, Norwich, NR1 1DJ
Trust:INSPIRATION TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2016

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Inspected 29 April 2025View full report
URN:142871
UKPRN:10056958
Constituency:Norwich South
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Charles Darwin Primary School excels at creating a warm, inclusive environment where every child feels valued and able to be themselves. Teachers use skilled checks on what pupils already know to design activities that help them learn new things really well, with particularly impressive support for children who find reading tricky or are learning English. The school also runs a wonderful personal development programme that helps pupils become confident, independent and caring citizens.

Key Strengths

  • Respectful and friendly relationships throughout the school with exemplary pupil behaviour and positive attitudes to learning
  • High-quality, coherently designed curriculum that builds knowledge progressively across subjects
  • Exceptional support for pupils with SEND, with carefully adapted activities and highly skilled staff
  • Excellent reading provision with strong phonics teaching and targeted support for struggling readers
  • Rich personal development programme that builds character, independence and healthy relationships

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Diddy Darwins pre-school visits, pupil parliament, community projects and good deeds

Charles Darwin Primary School has successfully maintained its outstanding standards since the previous inspection in 2019. The school has doubled in size and now serves pupils from age 2 to 11, with an expert leadership team continuing to improve provision for all children.

At a Glance

21.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

118 responses
Would recommend90%
Child is happy95%
Well taught96%
Good progress84%
Feels safe97%
Well behaved92%
Bullying dealt with26%
Kept informed92%
Handles concerns64%
Wider development92%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+8ppMaths+14ppWriting+10pp

Reading has improved from 76% to 84%. Maths has improved from 76% to 90%. Writing has improved from 81% to 91%.

Class Sizes

27.8

Avg class size

27.2

Infant (KS1)

28.7

KS2

14

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Norwich Rail Station
240m · 4 min walk
Can you get into this school?
Enter your postcode to find out

Commute Calculator

Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply

Sign up free to see your commute to this school

What are my chances?

Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

111%

Over capacity

465 pupils

420 capacity

45 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Norwich

Low pressure
New homes approved:8,028
Projected new pupils:2,007

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Norwich

Admissions Demand - Norfolk

Low demand0.78x oversubscription

Places available

9,822

Applications

7,691

Got 1st preference

95.8%

Got preferred school

98.9%

Primary admissions across Norfolk (2025/26)

Inspection History(2)

29 April 2025
25 June 2019
OutstandingReport
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding

House Prices

Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost

Sign up free to see house prices near this school

SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

Sign up free to see special needs support at this school

Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

Sign up free to see who goes to this school

Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

Sign up free to see teacher and staff data

School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

Sign up free to see how this school is funded

Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.64578%

Overall absence

12.8%

Persistent absence

375

Enrolments

Authorised3.38266%
Unauthorised1.26312%
Persistent (10%+)12.8%
Severe (50%+)2.4%

Absence trend

3.95573%
18/19
2.55969%
20/21
5.32272%
21/22
6.02999%
22/23
5.52584%
23/24
4.64578%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Reviews

No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.

Leave a Review

You need to be signed in to leave a review.

Secondary Schools Nearby

Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to

Nearby Schools

Do you work at this school?

Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.