Walpole Cross Keys Primary School, King's Lynn
Walpole Cross Keys Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in King's Lynn, part of West Norfolk Academies Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 29th-highest of the 40 schools in King's Lynn with published results, and 12,330th of 14,452 across England. It was 91% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Norfolk (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Walpole Cross Keys Primary School in detail
Walpole Cross Keys Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "We may be small in size, but we have really big ideas and a positive and aspirational approach to ensure that we improve and impress! Being 8 miles away from the large town of King's Lynn, nestled at the heart of a rural village surrounded by wide open fields, we believe in celebrating our locality and community roots."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils at Walpole Cross Keys Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 63% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 70% in Norfolk and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (63% in reading, 63% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Walpole Cross Keys Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 4 families put Walpole Cross Keys Primary School as their first choice and 12 named it as one of their preferences, for 4 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 Walpole Cross Keys Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Walpole Cross Keys Primary School are Terrington St Clement Community School (1.9 miles, Good, 60% reading, 52% maths); Anthony Curton CofE Primary School (2.1 miles, Good, 81% reading, 76% maths); Tilney All Saints CofE Primary School (3 miles, Good, 78% reading, 67% maths); and Sutton Bridge Westmere Community Primary School (3.1 miles, Good, 73% reading, 84% maths).
Walpole Cross Keys Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Terrington St Clement Community SchoolAnthony Curton CofE Primary SchoolTilney All Saints CofE Primary SchoolSutton Bridge Westmere Community Primary School
The trust
Walpole Cross Keys Primary School is one of 11 schools run by West Norfolk Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
13.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Staffing
Walpole Cross Keys Primary School had 4 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Walpole Cross Keys Primary School.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primary School (adjacent), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 7 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, vehicle crime and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Norfolk (28).
Suspensions and exclusions
Walpole Cross Keys Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 October 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Walpole Cross Keys is a small, friendly school which serves the local community well. There is a strong sense of camaraderie and pupils benefit from being part of this close-knit environment. Older pupils and their younger peers learn well together. They demonstrate high levels of respect for each other and towards the adults.
From Reception, pupils demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. If they find something tricky, they use the strategies that adults have taught them to overcome any challenges. Adults ensure that pupils are given appropriate opportunities to excel in their learning. Pupils are proud when they do well. They listen attentively while adults explain things to them. Strong learning routines are well established across all classes, and low-level disruption is uncommon. On the rare occasion that a pupil struggles to manage their emotions, adults are skilled at providing prompt support. This quickly helps them settle back to their work.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's curriculum is expertly designed to meet the needs of all pupils. Leaders have precise plans in place that support pupils in mixed-age classes to develop their skills and knowledge. Staff receive high-quality training that enables them to deliver the curriculum well. Collaboration with trust staff allows adults to share their expertise and ensure that pupils are well supported to achieve highly.
Teachers deliver new information clearly. They plan lessons carefully and give pupils the skills and opportunities they need to complete ambitious work. Teachers are experts at using a wide range of methods to check if pupils have understood their learning. They question pupils to see what they know, or to help them develop their understanding. Teachers are well trained in providing pupils with prompt guidance while they are completing tasks. This immediate feedback from teachers helps to ensure that pupils do not develop misconceptions. Teachers allow pupils enough time to tackle difficult work independently, while helping them along the way. Pupils really appreciate the support they receive. It builds their confidence, and they achieve well.
From Ofsted's June 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2012 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
13.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 63% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 63% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 63% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
17.3
Avg class size
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Walpole Cross Keys Primary School
WNAT Music Festival returns bigger and better
16 Jul 2026
WCK pupil wins West Norfolk photo contest
3 Jul 2026
Pupils hit the right note at recital
19 Jun 2026
Former Wimbledon star inspires at WCK
19 Jun 2026
Contest spells success for WNAT pupils
19 Jun 2026
WNAT Pupils on Target for Success
1 Jun 2026
From Walpole Cross Keys Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Walpole Cross Keys Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Walpole Cross Keys Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Walpole Cross Keys 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)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Walpole Cross Keys Primary School
Will you get a place at Walpole Cross Keys Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Walpole Cross Keys Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Walpole Cross Keys Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Walpole Cross Keys 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 Walpole Cross Keys Primary School 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
91%
Near capacity
51 pupils
56 places
5 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - King's Lynn
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for King's Lynn
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
10
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
23.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
52
Total Pupils
27
Boys
25
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
13.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,898
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,268
Per pupil
£488k
Total funding
£17k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.0%
Overall absence
10.4%
Persistent absence
48
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Walpole Cross Keys Primary School
What are SATs results like at Walpole Cross Keys Primary School?
Of the pupils at Walpole Cross Keys Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 63% reached the expected standard in reading and 63% did so in maths.
What is Walpole Cross Keys Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Walpole Cross Keys Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Walpole Cross Keys Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Walpole Cross Keys 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 Walpole Cross Keys Primary School?
Walpole Cross Keys Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 91% of its 56 places.
How big are the classes at Walpole Cross Keys Primary School?
Classes at Walpole Cross Keys Primary School average 17.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Walpole Cross Keys Primary School?
Walpole Cross Keys Primary School has around 52 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Walpole Cross Keys Primary School?
5% of sessions were missed at Walpole Cross Keys Primary School in 2024/25. 10.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Walpole Cross Keys Primary School?
Apply through Norfolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Walpole Cross Keys 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 Walpole Cross Keys Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Walpole Cross Keys Primary School?
Walpole Cross Keys Primary School is at 28 Sutton Road, Walpole Cross Keys, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE34 4HD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)