Queensway Junior Academy, Thetford
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This school has turned things around remarkably. Teachers create a calm, respectful environment where pupils behave well and feel safe, with bullying being rare. The reading teaching is excellent and helps pupils access a broad, ambitious curriculum. The school works hard to include all pupils, ensuring disadvantaged children and those with additional needs access the same opportunities as their peers, from school trips to leadership roles.
Key Strengths
- Behaviour has improved significantly with suspensions reduced considerably and pupils being polite and respectful
- Attendance has improved substantially, especially for disadvantaged pupils who now attend more regularly
- Teaching of reading is particularly effective and helps pupils access the full curriculum
- Leaders have created a calm, purposeful school environment with clear expectations that pupils understand and follow
- Strong inclusion practices ensure pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils access all opportunities including trips and leadership roles
Areas for Improvement
- Writing skills, including handwriting and spelling, need more development with some older pupils having gaps in important knowledge
- Achievement in reading, writing and mathematics remains below national averages, though 2025 showed notable improvement
- Some teaching is not as effective as it could be, with learning not always presented clearly enough
- Parent engagement needs to improve as further work is needed to break down barriers and fully involve the parent community
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Football tournaments, singing in assemblies and school performances, sporting competitions, outdoor learning sessions, educational visits including Year 6 residential trip, career visits from professionals such as dog groomers, police officers and photographers
Queensway Junior Academy has made significant improvements in behaviour and attendance, creating a calm and welcoming learning environment. The school has an ambitious curriculum with particularly effective reading teaching, though writing remains an area requiring further development.
At a Glance
51.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 58% to 65%. Maths has remained stable at around 59%. Writing has improved from 38% to 59%.
Class Sizes
21.6
Avg class size
21.6
KS2
7
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
52%
Available places
141 pupils
271 capacity
130 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Thetford
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Thetford
Admissions Demand - Norfolk
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(6)
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.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.20449%
Overall absence
24.69136%
Persistent absence
162
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Queensway Junior Academy
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