Grove House Infant and Nursery School, Dereham

Good
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 37

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~407m)Possible (~582m)Unlikely (~757m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Samantha Barnard
Pupils:83 / 90 capacity
LA:Norfolk
Phone:01362694379
Address:Gilpins Ride, Littlefields, Dereham, NR19 1BJ
Trust:UNITY EDUCATION TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 March 2017

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Inspected 13 May 2025View full report
URN:144314
UKPRN:10062861
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Mid Norfolk
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Grove House is a welcoming, caring place where children thrive. The school excels at teaching reading and phonics, with daily story time as a highlight that builds confident readers. Early years children flourish through creative learning centred on curiosity and independence, setting strong foundations for their future.

Key Strengths

  • Strong teaching in English and mathematics with clear sequencing and vocabulary development
  • Excellent phonics teaching leading to confident readers and writers
  • Early years children develop independence and curiosity very well through learning powers characters
  • Warm, inclusive school culture with high behaviour expectations and positive pupil conduct
  • Strong family engagement and partnerships creating a nurturing environment

Areas for Improvement

  • Activities in some foundation subjects (non-English and maths) do not sufficiently focus on essential subject knowledge
  • Pupils sometimes struggle to recall and connect learning in these subjects
  • Teachers need to ensure activities clearly focus on the knowledge pupils should learn across all subjects

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with warm staff-pupil relationships and a safe, inclusive school culture prioritising pupils' wellbeing.

Extracurricular Activities

Art, music, celebration days, eco council, school council, breakfast club

Grove House Infant and Nursery School has maintained the good standards from its previous inspection. Pupils enjoy school, form strong friendships, and achieve well with high teacher expectations and clear routines.

At a Glance

31.6%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

20.8

Avg class size

26.0

Infant (KS1)

4

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Tube / Metro / Tram

Dereham (Mid Norfolk Railway)
650m · 11 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

92%

Near capacity

83 pupils

90 capacity

7 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Dereham

Low pressure
New homes approved:757
Projected new pupils:189

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Dereham

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(3)

13 May 2025
29 January 2020
11 December 2013
Good
Leadership & ManagementGood

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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

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

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.30884%

Overall absence

7.01754%

Persistent absence

57

Enrolments

Authorised3.29416%
Unauthorised1.01468%
Persistent (10%+)7.01754%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

3.88202%
18/19
3.26327%
20/21
7.02217%
21/22
6.42436%
22/23
5.87035%
23/24
4.30884%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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