Dereham Neatherd High School, Dereham
Data last updated 12 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This school is genuinely welcoming to all pupils, with outstanding support for those with special educational needs who learn alongside their peers. Pupils behave respectfully and the school has created a positive culture where everyone feels valued. The school also excels at helping struggling readers develop confidence and fluency through targeted support programmes.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional inclusion and support for pupils with SEND, who are fully embraced into school life
- Effective reading support programmes that help pupils develop into confident and fluent readers
- Strong behaviour and positive culture with clear expectations that pupils and staff understand
- Well-designed personal development and ethics programme that teaches important concepts like tolerance and democracy
- Wide range of clubs and enrichment activities available to pupils
Areas for Improvement
- Many pupils lack foundational knowledge before learning new content, meaning they do not progress as well as they should
- Assessment of pupils' understanding does not consistently identify gaps in knowledge, and teaching does not always address these gaps
- Some learning activities are too simplistic, with insufficient challenge or feedback to help pupils improve their work
- Leadership and governors do not act with sufficient urgency to implement curriculum improvements
- Some pupils are not accessing the quality of education they are entitled to
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports, performances, creative writing, gardening clubs, school council, prefect roles, visits to local care homes
Dereham Neatherd High School is a highly inclusive secondary school where pupils enjoy attending and behave well, but many are not achieving as well as they should due to gaps in curriculum design and teaching effectiveness.
At a Glance
21.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
114 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
25.3
Avg class size
45
Total classes
9 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
95%
Near capacity
1,079 pupils
1,130 capacity
51 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Dereham
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Dereham
Admissions Demand - Norfolk
Places available
9,550
Applications
8,636
Got 1st preference
93.3%
Got preferred school
98.2%
Secondary admissions across Norfolk (2025/26)
Inspection History(3)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.70419%
Overall absence
22.84264%
Persistent absence
1,182
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Dereham Neatherd High School
King's Park Infant School, Dereham
Dereham Church of England Infant and Nursery Academy
Grove House Infant and Nursery School
Dereham Church of England Junior Academy
Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School
Toftwood Infant School
Scarning Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Nearby Schools
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