Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy, Beccles
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Beccles, part of The Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 9 schools in Beccles with published results, and 3,408th of 14,452 across England. It was 85% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- 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
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy in detail
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy in its own words
In its own words: "The school is opened to children at 8:45am when early morning activities start in class. Children in Skylarks class are welcomed into school via the front door, children in Swans via the right side gate and children in Mallards via the left side gate of the main school."
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 90% 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 (85% in reading, 85% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 3 families put Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy as their first choice and 6 named it as one of their preferences, for 3 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy are St Benet's RC Primary School and Nursery (1.4 miles, Good, 62% reading, 62% maths); The Albert Pye Community Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 93% reading, 95% maths); Ravensmere Infant School (1.7 miles, Good); and Beccles Primary Academy (2.2 miles, Good, 71% reading, 67% maths).
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
St Benet's RC Primary School and NurseryThe Albert Pye Community Primary SchoolRavensmere Infant SchoolBeccles Primary Academy
The trust
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy is one of 42 schools run by The Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 52% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
All 42 schools in The Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust
Who goes there
2.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 4 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 1 (2.4%) 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 Beccles Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Boundaries (opposite), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Norfolk (28).
Suspensions and exclusions
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
24.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 85% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 85% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 69% to 90% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
20.5
Avg class size
23.0
KS2
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy 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
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 3 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 Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
Will you get a place at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Norfolk, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy for 2016 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
85%
Available places
51 pupils
60 places
9 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Beccles
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Beccles
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
12.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
41
Total Pupils
21
Boys
20
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
3
Teachers
13.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£63,580
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,095
Per pupil
£480k
Total funding
£20k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
7.8%
Persistent absence
51
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
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
Questions parents ask about Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
What are SATs results like at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
Of the pupils at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 90% did so in maths.
What is Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024.
What is the catchment area for Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy is oversubscribed, Norfolk allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 85% of its 60 places.
How big are the classes at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
Classes at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy average 20.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy has around 41 pupils on roll. 24% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
4.8% of sessions were missed at Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy in 2024/25. 7.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
Apply through Norfolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy 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 Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 3 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 Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy is at The Boundaries, Geldeston Road, Beccles, Suffolk, NR34 0HT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)