The Damara School, Thetford
The Damara School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Thetford. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Damara School in detail
The Damara School in its own words
In its own words: "The Lotus Academy Trust Ltd has been founded to provide children and young people with holistic, safe, rewarding, personalised education and support to improve their life chances and prepare them for life and the world of work. Discover how The Lotus Academy Trust is championing a transformative educational experience for children and young people across Norfolk."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at The Damara School has an education, health and care plan (32 of 32 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Thetford Rail Station, about 880 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Marys Church (opposite), 380 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Damara School excels at providing life-changing emotional support and care for vulnerable pupils, helping many attend school regularly for the first time. Staff teach practical strategies like breathing techniques to help pupils manage their emotions and refocus on learning. The school maintains high academic expectations while nurturing each pupil's individual interests and talents through enriching experiences and trips.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes, with pupils learning to regulate emotions and refocus on learning
- Outstanding personal development with a strong family feel and high expectations for academic success
- Effective support for reading with pupils becoming enthusiastic independent readers
- Excellent nurturing of pupils' interests and talents through visitors, experiences and out-of-school opportunities
- Well-led school with strong staff development focus on teaching quality
Areas for Improvement
- Spelling and word work not as well matched to pupils' needs as other aspects of English
- New phonics programme at early stage of implementation
- Work experience programme for secondary pupils still being developed
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong systems in place that put pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Musical theatre, out-of-school clubs and experiences, school trips making use of local area
The Damara School is a special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, rated Good overall. Pupils receive life-changing support and care, with many attending school regularly for the first time in years.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Latest from The Damara School
Extreme Temperatures - Friday 26 June 2026
25 Jun 2026
Extreme Heat - Friday 26 June 2026
25 Jun 2026
OFSTED 2025
8 Dec 2025
The Damara School Office
17 May 2025
New Website Launched
16 May 2025
Damara School Opening
16 May 2025
From The Damara School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Damara School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 29
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 5
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, 8 serious and 21 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
100%
Full
32 pupils
32 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Thetford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Thetford
Across Norfolk council
Places available
9,559
Applications
8,625
Got 1st preference
94.1%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All secondary applications across Norfolk council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
32
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Damara School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
32
Total Pupils
24
Boys
8
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about The Damara School
What is The Damara School's Ofsted rating?
The Damara School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2025.
Does The Damara School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in September 2025, The Damara School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to The Damara School?
The Damara School has around 32 pupils on roll.
Does The Damara School have specialist SEN provision?
The Damara School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to The Damara School?
The Damara School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near The Damara School?
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, 8 serious and 21 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 The Damara School?
The Damara School is at The Maltings, Raymond Street, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2EA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)