Gaywood Primary School, King's Lynn

Ofsted's report card from its 27 January 2026 inspection grades Gaywood Primary School on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils progress appropriately through the curriculum from the early years to Year 6."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders know the importance of pupils attending school regularly."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The school has a carefully sequenced and planned curriculum which starts in the early years and is built on year-on-year."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children in the early years benefit from a warm, friendly environment that helps them feel safe and ready to learn."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders know their disadvantaged pupils well and make them a priority."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "School and trust leaders know their school well when considering the quality of teaching, learning and achievement."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils benefit from a rich and varied personal development programme that prepares them well for life in modern Britain."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should work to embed and further strengthen the school's agreed approaches to improve attendance, so attendance continues to improve, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, and aligns more closely with national expectations. • Leaders should continue to support staff to deepen pupils' thinking and build on their strong foundations in learning, giving pupils further opportunity to reach the higher standards of achievement by the time they move on to secondary school".

In its own words: "Here, you will discover our school's vision, celebrate our successes, and learn about the many exciting opportunities available to our pupils throughout their journey with us. Gaywood Primary School is a vibrant, two-form entry school in King's Lynn, proudly educating around 370 children aged 4 to 11."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care, from £3.50 per session.

In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils at Gaywood Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 70% in Norfolk and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 85% in reading and 85% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 35 families put Gaywood Primary School as their first choice and 99 named it as one of their preferences, for 39 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Gaywood Primary School are St Martha's Catholic Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 80% reading, 76% maths); Reffley Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 79% reading, 79% maths); Fairstead Community Primary and Nursery School (0.7 miles, Good, 73% reading, 63% maths); and King's Oak Academy (0.9 miles, Good).

Gaywood Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

Gaywood Primary School is one of 11 schools run by West Norfolk Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

24 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Gaywood Primary School (as of April 2026): 92% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).

16.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 68 pupils (19.3%) received SEN support and 8 (2.3%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Kings Lynn Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Springwood High School (adjacent), 150 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 146 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.

In 2024/25, Gaywood Primary School issued 8 suspensions, 2.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Gaywood Primary School are Springwood High School (under 0.1 miles), King Edward VII Academy (0.8 miles), King's Lynn Academy (0.9 miles) and Visiting Teacher Service West (1.7 miles).