West Earlham Infant and Nursery School, Norwich
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 7 in Norwich. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. It was 94% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School in detail
Getting a place at West Earlham Infant and Nursery School
For September 2026 entry, 65 families put West Earlham Infant and Nursery School as their first choice and 90 named it as one of their preferences, for 59 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at West Earlham Infant and Nursery School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to West Earlham Infant and Nursery School are West Earlham Junior School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 55% reading, 53% maths); Norwich Primary Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 63% reading, 65% maths); Henderson Green Primary Academy (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, 74% reading, 78% maths); and Bluebell Primary School (0.6 miles, 78% reading, 63% maths).
West Earlham Junior SchoolNorwich Primary AcademyHenderson Green Primary AcademyBluebell Primary School
What parents say
45 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about West Earlham Infant and Nursery School (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (96%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (71%).
Who goes there
29.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (66%), Black (11%) and Mixed (10%).
In 2026, 50 pupils (17.8%) received SEN support and 23 (8.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School has a SEN unit for other difficulties or disabilities: 16 places, 16 pupils on roll.
Staffing
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School had 15 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Norwich Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Health Centre (opposite), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 199 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Norfolk (28), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, West Earlham Infant and Nursery School issued 4 suspensions, 1.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to West Earlham Infant and Nursery School are City Academy Norwich (0.4 miles) and Ormiston Victory Academy (1.8 miles).
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2017, 9 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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is a school at the heart of its community. Pupils behave well and learn much because of their teachers' high expectations. Pupils are safe and happy. This is because staff have made pupils' mental and physical well-being a priority. Pupils know their teachers care about them. They understand they can seek help from an adult if they have a concern.
In the Nursery, teachers establish very clear routines. As a result, children gain essential behaviours to ensure they learn well. Children sit patiently when asked. They know it is respectful to listen to others. Pupils participate with enthusiasm in their lessons. They eagerly reply to their teachers' questions. In Reception, children help each other to learn. They practise their counting and letter formation independently. 'Special teacher helpers' take on responsibility and learn life skills. They carry out helpful duties to support their teacher, such as washing up and cleaning.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has constructed an ambitious curriculum which meets the emotional, social and academic needs of its pupils. Language development is at the centre of the curriculum. From the nursery onwards, leaders evaluate with precision how well children are learning to speak. Many children join the school with delayed speech and language. The school intervenes with urgency. Children receive precise support and they make swift progress. Children build language to express their emotions and describe the world around them. Staff sustain their meticulous attention to children's development throughout their time at the school.
The importance of learning to read resonates throughout the school. Teachers adopt highly consistent approaches to the teaching of reading. They present new knowledge with clarity. As a result, Reception-age children, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), immediately gain sounds and blend them to read words. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 read familiar language with fluency. The number of children achieving the Year 1 phonics standard is in line with national averages. This is a considerable achievement given the high percentage of pupils with SEND and those who have English as an additional language.
From Ofsted's October 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 Outstanding at its October 2017 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
30.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Other
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
45 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
19.0
Avg class size
26.4
Infant (KS1)
11
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with West Earlham Infant and Nursery School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to West Earlham Infant and Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. West Earlham Infant and Nursery 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
- 29
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 6
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.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
11 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 West Earlham Infant and Nursery School
Will you get a place at West Earlham Infant and Nursery School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against West Earlham Infant and Nursery School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for West Earlham Infant and Nursery School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to West Earlham Infant and Nursery School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Norfolk, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at West Earlham Infant and Nursery 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
94%
Near capacity
175 pupils
187 places
12 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Norwich
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Norwich
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
50
SEN Support
23
EHC Plans
26.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School has a SEN unit for other difficulties or disabilities: 16 places, 16 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
281
Total Pupils
135
Boys
146
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
18.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,990
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,980
Per pupil
£1367k
Total funding
£112k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.3%
Overall absence
26.0%
Persistent absence
123
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School
Questions parents ask about West Earlham Infant and Nursery School
What is West Earlham Infant and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for West Earlham Infant and Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When West Earlham Infant and Nursery 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 West Earlham Infant and Nursery School?
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 187 places.
How big are the classes at West Earlham Infant and Nursery School?
Classes at West Earlham Infant and Nursery School average 19 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to West Earlham Infant and Nursery School?
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School has around 281 pupils on roll. 30% are eligible for free school meals.
Does West Earlham Infant and Nursery School have specialist SEN provision?
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School has a SEN unit for other difficulties or disabilities: 16 places, 16 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at West Earlham Infant and Nursery School?
7.3% of sessions were missed at West Earlham Infant and Nursery School in 2024/25. 26% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to West Earlham Infant and Nursery School?
Apply through Norfolk's coordinated admissions process, naming West Earlham Infant and Nursery 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 West Earlham Infant and Nursery 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. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 11 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 West Earlham Infant and Nursery School?
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School is at Scarnell Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR5 8HT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)