King's Park Infant School, Dereham, Dereham
King's Park Infant School, Dereham is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 7 in Dereham, part of Unity Education Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. It was 52% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Norfolk (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
King's Park Infant School, Dereham in detail
Getting a place at King's Park Infant School, Dereham
For September 2026 entry, 15 families put King's Park Infant School, Dereham as their first choice and 28 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 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 King's Park Infant School, Dereham
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to King's Park Infant School, Dereham are Dereham Church of England Infant and Nursery Academy (0.3 miles); Grove House Infant and Nursery School (0.6 miles, Good); Dereham Church of England Junior Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 71% reading, 66% maths); and Scarning Voluntary Controlled Primary School (1.1 miles, Good, 78% reading, 83% maths).
Dereham Church of England Infant and Nursery AcademyGrove House Infant and Nursery SchoolDereham Church of England Junior AcademyScarning Voluntary Controlled Primary School
The trust
King's Park Infant School, Dereham is one of 15 schools run by Unity Education Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
19 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about King's Park Infant School, Dereham (as of September 2025): 95% would recommend the school, 95% 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 (79%).
Who goes there
10.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%), Asian (5%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 4 pupils (10.8%) received SEN support and 4 (10.8%) 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.
King's Park Infant School, Dereham has a SEN unit for moderate learning difficulties: 8 places, 4 pupils on roll.
Staffing
King's Park Infant School, Dereham had 3 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Dereham (Mid Norfolk Railway), about 560 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Nicholas Street (adjacent), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 114 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
In 2024/25, King's Park Infant School, Dereham issued 12 suspensions, 25.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to King's Park Infant School, Dereham are Northgate High School (0.3 miles) and Dereham Neatherd High School (0.6 miles).
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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 September 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
King's Park Infant School creates a happy, engaging environment where children love learning. Teachers use stories, practical activities and challenges to make lessons interesting, and they respond quickly to identify and help any pupil who needs extra support. The school also teaches children important values like kindness, resilience and respect through its well-structured personal development programme.
Key Strengths
- Early reading is a particular strength with well-trained staff and high-quality phonics teaching
- Strong support for pupils with SEND ensures they achieve well and access learning alongside peers
- Well-organised early years environment where children develop strong language and social skills
- Clear, focused lessons with regular checks on pupil understanding
- Calm, respectful classrooms where pupils understand expectations and take pride in their work
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not consistently spot misconceptions and gaps in pupils' learning, particularly in foundational writing skills like spelling and handwriting
- School should ensure all checks on pupils' writing consistently address knowledge gaps and misconceptions
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a strong culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
School trips, special events, student council, eco council, before-school care
King's Park Infant School in Dereham has maintained good standards since its previous inspection. Pupils feel happy, enjoy learning, and benefit from well-structured teaching in reading, writing and mathematics.
At a Glance
18.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
19 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
18.5
Avg class size
18.5
Infant (KS1)
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with King's Park Infant School, Dereham
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to King's Park Infant School, Dereham from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. King's Park Infant School, Dereham 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
- 29
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 29 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 18 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
9 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 King's Park Infant School, Dereham
Will you get a place at King's Park Infant School, Dereham? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against King's Park Infant School, Dereham's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for King's Park Infant School, Dereham:
- The straight-line distance from your home to King's Park Infant School, Dereham.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Norfolk, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at King's Park Infant School, Dereham for 2017 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
52%
Available places
47 pupils
90 places
43 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.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
21.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
King's Park Infant School, Dereham has a SEN unit for moderate learning difficulties: 8 places, 4 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
37
Total Pupils
19
Boys
18
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
3
Teachers
12.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,493
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,816
Per pupil
£427k
Total funding
£26k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.7%
Overall absence
13.9%
Persistent absence
36
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
King's Park Infant School, Dereham
Questions parents ask about King's Park Infant School, Dereham
What is King's Park Infant School, Dereham's Ofsted rating?
King's Park Infant School, Dereham's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for King's Park Infant School, Dereham?
No fixed boundary. When King's Park Infant School, Dereham is oversubscribed, Norfolk allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at King's Park Infant School, Dereham?
King's Park Infant School, Dereham was not full in 2025: it ran at 52% of its 90 places.
How big are the classes at King's Park Infant School, Dereham?
Classes at King's Park Infant School, Dereham average 18.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to King's Park Infant School, Dereham?
King's Park Infant School, Dereham has around 37 pupils on roll. 19% are eligible for free school meals.
Does King's Park Infant School, Dereham have specialist SEN provision?
King's Park Infant School, Dereham has a SEN unit for moderate learning difficulties: 8 places, 4 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at King's Park Infant School, Dereham?
5.7% of sessions were missed at King's Park Infant School, Dereham in 2024/25. 13.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to King's Park Infant School, Dereham?
Apply through Norfolk's coordinated admissions process, naming King's Park Infant School, Dereham 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 King's Park Infant School, Dereham?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 29 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 18 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 9 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 King's Park Infant School, Dereham?
King's Park Infant School, Dereham is at Kings Park, Dereham, Norfolk, NR19 2AG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)