Highgate Infant School, King's Lynn
Highgate Infant School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 7 in King's Lynn, part of Unity Education Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2024 did not change this grade. It was 69% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- 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
Highgate Infant School in detail
Highgate Infant School in its own words
In its own words: "Our values are displayed around the school on this tree, created by our children, parents and staff"
From the headteacher's welcome: "Highgate Infant school is a small infant school for pupils aged 4-7 years with about 60 pupils. I believe our unique size makes everyone at Highgate part of an extended family and we aim to be a safe happy welcoming place at the heart of the community."
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care, from £2 per session.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Highgate Infant School
For September 2026 entry, 14 families put Highgate Infant School as their first choice and 42 named it as one of their preferences, for 14 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 Highgate Infant School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Highgate Infant School are Eastgate Academy (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 84% reading, 91% maths); Greyfriars Academy (0.7 miles, Requires improvement, 44% reading, 56% maths); Greenpark Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 54% reading, 52% maths); and Whitefriars Church of England Primary Academy (0.8 miles, Outstanding, 78% reading, 76% maths).
Eastgate AcademyGreyfriars AcademyGreenpark AcademyWhitefriars Church of England Primary Academy
The trust
Highgate Infant School is one of 15 schools run by Unity Education Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
54% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 42.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (56%), Asian (10%) and Black (8%).
In 2026, 12 pupils (19%) received SEN support and 10 (15.9%) 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.
Staffing
Highgate Infant School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Kings Lynn Rail Station, about 550 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Highgate School (adjacent), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 340 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Norfolk (28), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Highgate Infant School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Highgate Infant School are King Edward VII Academy (0.2 miles), King's Lynn Academy (0.5 miles), Visiting Teacher Service West (0.7 miles) and Springwood High School (1 mile).
King Edward VII AcademyKing's Lynn AcademyVisiting Teacher Service WestSpringwood High School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2013, 13 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
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils are successful here. This is because staff are caring and knowledgeable. Staff consider pupils' needs when making decisions about how and what to teach. They know all the pupils well. As a result, pupils are happy and safe here. They like learning how to read and write and they like finding out about the wider world.
All pupils are expected to be kind and courteous. Pupils learn important routines like how to line up. This makes the day flow smoothly and helps pupils to learn respect for one another and the school environment. Adults model politeness and pupils emulate this behaviour. If a pupil gets it wrong, then staff help them to put it right. Lunchtimes and playtimes give pupils a sense of community and opportunities to make new friends.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's curriculum sets out, in a logical order, important knowledge, vocabulary and skills that pupils need to be successful. Teachers and support staff incorporate new vocabulary into teaching and pupil discussions.
Teachers use their expert knowledge to help pupils understand new concepts. This is because teachers have received training in how to teach subjects well. Pupils have opportunities to revisit prior knowledge. Teachers aptly spot pupils' misunderstandings and then help pupils to catch up. As a result, pupils build their confidence in different subjects. However, some pupils do not always have enough opportunities to practise and refine their writing in some subjects. The school is providing ongoing training and support to staff to further improve pupils' opportunities to learn.
From Ofsted's September 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
54.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
21.0
Avg class size
21.0
Infant (KS1)
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Highgate Infant School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Highgate Infant School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Highgate Infant 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
- 38
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 38 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 28 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 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 Highgate Infant School
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Your home postcode, set against Highgate Infant School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Highgate Infant School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Highgate Infant School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Norfolk, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Highgate Infant School for 2018 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
69%
Available places
62 pupils
90 places
28 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - King's Lynn
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for King's Lynn
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)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
12
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
34.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
63
Total Pupils
31
Boys
32
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
12.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,992
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,980
Per pupil
£557k
Total funding
£38k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.2%
Overall absence
22.9%
Persistent absence
48
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
Highgate Infant School
Questions parents ask about Highgate Infant School
What is Highgate Infant School's Ofsted rating?
Highgate Infant School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Highgate Infant School?
No fixed boundary. When Highgate Infant 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 Highgate Infant School?
Highgate Infant School was not full in 2025: it ran at 69% of its 90 places.
How big are the classes at Highgate Infant School?
Classes at Highgate Infant School average 21 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Highgate Infant School?
Highgate Infant School has around 63 pupils on roll. 54% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Highgate Infant School?
6.2% of sessions were missed at Highgate Infant School in 2024/25. 22.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Highgate Infant School?
Apply through Norfolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Highgate Infant School 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 Highgate Infant School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 38 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 28 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 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 Highgate Infant School?
Highgate Infant School is at Gaywood Road, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 2PS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)