Wells-Next-the-Sea Primary and Nursery School, Wells-Next-the-Sea

Good
Primary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Rachel Stroulger
Pupils:197 / 240 capacity
LA:Norfolk
Phone:01328710320
Address:Polka Road, Wells-Next-the-Sea, NR23 1JG
Trust:THE WENSUM TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2017

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:144975
UKPRN:10065108
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:North Norfolk
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The school creates a warm, caring environment where all children are welcomed and supported to thrive. Staff work hard to help every child succeed, especially those with additional needs, and children feel safe and valued. The school enriches learning through strong community connections and a range of activities that build confidence and resilience.

Key Strengths

  • Strong safeguarding culture where pupils feel safe and leaders take concerns seriously
  • Effective support for pupils with SEND through specialist Ebb and Flow and Starfish classes
  • Good improvements to attendance over the last 3 years through close work with families
  • Well-designed broad curriculum with positive early years provision
  • Rich personal development programme using local community links

Areas for Improvement

  • Writing and mathematics achievement at Year 6 not yet showing expected progress despite curriculum improvements
  • Some staff not identifying gaps in pupils' knowledge quickly enough, affecting learning
  • Spelling and handwriting skills need more consistent teaching as some pupils repeat errors
  • Behaviour expectations occasionally not made clear enough by staff

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met with an open and positive culture where all legal requirements are fulfilled and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Local charity partnerships (Royal National Lifeboat Institution and local farming estate), sports competitions, arts activities, robotics competitions, 50 things to do before you are 5

Wells-Next-the-Sea Primary and Nursery School is a caring school with expected standards across most areas. Leaders have made improvements to reading, writing and mathematics teaching, though achievement in some areas is not yet at the level expected.

At a Glance

23.9%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

10 responses
Would recommend80%
Child is happy100%
Well taught80%
Good progress50%
Feels safe90%
Well behaved70%
Bullying dealt with10%
Kept informed90%
Handles concerns70%
Wider development50%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+2ppMaths-19ppWriting+16pp

Reading has remained stable at around 77%. Maths has declined from 59% to 40%. Writing has improved from 47% to 63%.

Class Sizes

25.3

Avg class size

21.3

Infant (KS1)

28.3

KS2

8

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Tube / Metro / Tram

Wells-next-the-Sea (Wells & Walsingham Railway)
504m · 8 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

82%

Available places

197 pupils

240 capacity

43 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Wells-Next-the-Sea

Low pressure
New homes approved:42
Projected new pupils:11

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Wells-Next-the-Sea

Admissions Demand - Norfolk

Low demand0.78x oversubscription

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(103)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

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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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.98864%

Overall absence

16.66667%

Persistent absence

174

Enrolments

Authorised4.74788%
Unauthorised1.24076%
Persistent (10%+)16.66667%
Severe (50%+)1.72414%

Absence trend

4.17442%
18/19
3.45153%
20/21
8.06656%
21/22
8.65998%
22/23
6.64042%
23/24
5.98864%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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