Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School, Dereham
Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Dereham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 12 schools in Dereham with published results, and 7,614th of 14,452 across England. It was 92% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2020)
- Capacity
- 92% full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School in detail
Results
In 2025, 82% of Year 6 pupils at Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 71% 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 (77% in reading, 71% in maths).
Getting a place at Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School
Across Norfolk, 94% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Norfolk lodged 64 appeals against primary school offers; 51 reached a hearing and 5 succeeded (9.8% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School are Toftwood Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Dereham Church of England Junior Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 71% reading, 66% maths); Grove House Infant and Nursery School (0.9 miles, Good); and Dereham Church of England Infant and Nursery Academy (1.2 miles).
Toftwood Infant SchoolDereham Church of England Junior AcademyGrove House Infant and Nursery SchoolDereham Church of England Infant and Nursery Academy
What parents say
27 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School (as of September 2025): 74% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (63%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 57 pupils (17.8%) received SEN support and 7 (2.2%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is (Dereham) Mid Norfolk Railway, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is School Lane (opposite), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 47 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Norfolk (28), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School issued 4 suspensions, 1.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School are Dereham Neatherd High School (1.2 miles) and Northgate High School (1.6 miles).
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; 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 agoThis judgement is from January 2020, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a calm, welcoming school where pupils feel valued and supported. Teachers make learning interesting and challenging, helping pupils build strong knowledge across subjects over time. The school prioritises reading for pleasure and provides excellent support for pupils with additional needs, ensuring all children feel included and able to succeed.
Key Strengths
- Reading is prioritised throughout the school with targeted support for those needing to catch up, resulting in increased confidence and understanding
- Thoughtful and effective provision for pupils with SEND, with individual education plans closely linked to classroom experiences
- Well-sequenced curriculum with lessons that help pupils revisit and build on key concepts
- Strong behaviour management with consistent routines and positive staff relationships
- Rich personal development offer that builds pupils' confidence, resilience and emotional literacy
Areas for Improvement
- Writing accuracy and consistency in older pupils' work - the school's renewed approach to writing needs to be fully embedded
- Task design in some subjects lacks depth or clarity, meaning some pupils do not produce work that fully reflects their understanding or allows them to explain their thinking in detail
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Gardening club, computing club, ukulele, school trips
Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School has maintained its good standards with effective action since the previous inspection. Pupils enjoy a calm, welcoming environment where they develop secure knowledge and skills across a well-sequenced curriculum.
At a Glance
19.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
27 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 improved from 77% to 82% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 71% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 66% to 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.5
Avg class size
26.5
KS2
11
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior 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
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
92%
Near capacity
330 pupils
360 places
30 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Dereham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dereham
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.
Inspection History(11)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
57
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
19.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
321
Total Pupils
158
Boys
163
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
22.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,525
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,071
Per pupil
£1810k
Total funding
£85k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
5.9%
Persistent absence
337
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School
Questions parents ask about Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School
What are SATs results like at Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School?
Of the pupils at Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 82% reached the expected standard in reading and 71% did so in maths.
What is Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School's Ofsted rating?
Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2020, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior 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 Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School?
Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School was not full in 2025: it ran at 92% of its 360 places.
How big are the classes at Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School?
Classes at Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School average 26.5 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School?
Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School has around 321 pupils on roll. 20% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School?
4.3% of sessions were missed at Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School in 2024/25. 5.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School?
Apply through Norfolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 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 Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School?
Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School is at 38 Westfield Road, Dereham, Norfolk, NR19 1JB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)