Queensway Junior Academy, Thetford

Ofsted's report card from its 10 February 2026 inspection grades Queensway Junior Academy on 6 areas: 5 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have worked tirelessly to improve behaviour and attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate and well‑informed understanding of teaching across the school."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders strive for all pupils to be fully included in school life."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "School and trust leaders have worked together intensively to raise standards."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school recognises the importance of developing pupils more widely."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Published outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 have remained below national averages."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to work closely with families to break down barriers to attendance, supporting all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, to attend school even more regularly"; "Leaders should support staff to further develop their subject knowledge and pedagogical approaches so they can deliver the curriculum with confidence and clarity across the different subjects of learning"; "Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise to address gaps in pupils' knowledge effectively, particularly for the key foundations of learning, including pupils' transcriptional writing skills".

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils at Queensway Junior Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 59% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 70% in Norfolk and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 58% in reading and 60% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

Across Norfolk, 94% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.

In 2026, families in Norfolk lodged 64 appeals against primary school offers; 51 reached a hearing and 5 succeeded (9.8% of those heard).

The nearest other state primary schools to Queensway Junior Academy are Queensway Infant Academy (under 0.1 miles); Redcastle Family School (0.4 miles, Good, 73% reading, 85% maths); Norwich Road Academy (0.7 miles, Requires improvement, 72% reading, 72% maths); and The Bishop's Church of England Primary Academy (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, 48% reading, 48% maths).

Queensway Junior Academy's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

Queensway Junior Academy is one of 18 schools run by Inspiration Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 66% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Queensway Junior Academy (as of April 2026): 50% would recommend the school, 57% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (57%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (50%).

51.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 39% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (57%) and Mixed (6%).

In 2026, 52 pupils (36.9%) received SEN support and 7 (5%) 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 Thetford Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fulmerston Close (adjacent), 130 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 190 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, Queensway Junior Academy issued 32 suspensions, 21.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.