Swanton Morley VC Primary School, Dereham
Swanton Morley VC Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Dereham. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 12 schools in Dereham with published results, and 9,396th of 14,452 across England. It was 88% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- 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
Swanton Morley VC Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at Swanton Morley VC Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 66% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 70% in Norfolk and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 88% in reading and 80% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Swanton Morley VC Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 25 families put Swanton Morley VC Primary School as their first choice and 35 named it as one of their preferences, for 25 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 Swanton Morley VC Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Swanton Morley VC Primary School are St Mary's Community Primary School, Beetley (2.2 miles, Requires improvement, 60% reading, 68% maths); King's Park Infant School, Dereham (2.5 miles, Good); Dereham Church of England Infant and Nursery Academy (2.9 miles); and Bawdeswell Community Primary School (2.9 miles, Good, 73% reading, 36% maths).
Swanton Morley VC Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 2 of them.
St Mary's Community Primary School, BeetleyKing's Park Infant School, DerehamDereham Church of England Infant and Nursery AcademyBawdeswell Community Primary School
What parents say
25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Swanton Morley VC Primary School (as of September 2025): 60% would recommend the school, 72% say their child is happy there and 58% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (88%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (58%).
Who goes there
3.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Dereham (Mid Norfolk Railway), about 2.8 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 8 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Norfolk (28).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Swanton Morley VC Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 1.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 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 December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a nurturing school where children feel they truly belong and are encouraged to thrive. Reading is taught brilliantly from the start, with tailored support for those who need extra help. The school offers a rich, well-organised curriculum with plenty of clubs and trips that broaden pupils' horizons and develop their talents.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with consistent phonics teaching and quick intervention for struggling readers
- High-quality, well-sequenced curriculum from early years onwards that builds knowledge logically
- Warm, caring school culture with kind relationships between pupils and staff
- Pupils develop positive attitudes to learning and behave well
- Good support systems for pupils with SEND, with most achieving well alongside peers
Areas for Improvement
- Feedback on learning is sometimes unclear and inconsistent, particularly in writing, so some pupils don't always know how to improve
- Learning plans for pupils with SEND are sometimes too broad and don't give teachers clear guidance on how to support them
- Knowledge recall is sometimes less secure when pupils revisit key learning
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff dealing quickly and effectively with any issues and pupils feeling safe and supported.
Extracurricular Activities
Archery, band, inter-school sports competitions, residential trips, clubs, trips and visits
Swanton Morley VC Primary School has maintained its good standards, creating a warm and friendly community where pupils feel safe and supported. The school prioritises reading, has a high-quality curriculum, and fosters positive pupil behaviour and attitudes to learning.
At a Glance
23.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
25 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 88% to 79% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 80% to 66% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 88% to 21% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.7
Avg class size
26.3
Infant (KS1)
31.0
KS2
6
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Swanton Morley VC Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Swanton Morley VC Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Swanton Morley VC Primary 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 Swanton Morley VC Primary School
Will you get a place at Swanton Morley VC Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Swanton Morley VC Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Swanton Morley VC Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Swanton Morley VC Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Norfolk, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Swanton Morley VC Primary School for 2014 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
88%
Available places
184 pupils
210 places
26 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(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
26
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
20.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
174
Total Pupils
90
Boys
84
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
17.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,932
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,374
Per pupil
£1062k
Total funding
£50k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.0%
Overall absence
14.5%
Persistent absence
165
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Swanton Morley VC Primary School
What are SATs results like at Swanton Morley VC Primary School?
Of the pupils at Swanton Morley VC Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 79% reached the expected standard in reading and 66% did so in maths.
What is Swanton Morley VC Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Swanton Morley VC Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Swanton Morley VC Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Swanton Morley VC Primary 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 Swanton Morley VC Primary School?
Swanton Morley VC Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 88% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Swanton Morley VC Primary School?
Classes at Swanton Morley VC Primary School average 28.7 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Swanton Morley VC Primary School?
Swanton Morley VC Primary School has around 174 pupils on roll. 24% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Swanton Morley VC Primary School?
5% of sessions were missed at Swanton Morley VC Primary School in 2024/25. 14.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Swanton Morley VC Primary School?
Apply through Norfolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Swanton Morley VC Primary 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 Swanton Morley VC Primary School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Norfolk is 4 (the median across 462 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Swanton Morley VC Primary School?
Swanton Morley VC Primary School is at Manns Lane, Swanton Morley, Dereham, Norfolk, NR20 4PX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)