Schools in Downham Market
Norfolk · 6 schools
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Norfolk (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
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.
Schools in Downham Market (6)
- Denver Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Primary · Ages 4-11 · PE38 0DP
Ofsted: Good (2023)KS2: 82% expected (2025)74% of first choices got in - Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary School
Primary · Ages 5-11 · PE38 9ND
Ofsted: Good (2013)KS2: 85% expected (2025)96% of first choices got in
By type:Primary schools in Downham Market (5)Secondary schools in Downham Market (1)
6
5 primary · 1 secondary
2,385
89% capacity used
3
0 outstanding · 3 good
2,673
288 spare places
Ofsted Ratings
Best Schools in Downham Market
View the full league table - ranked by Ofsted, Progress 8, KS2 results and more
Best Schools in Norfolk
Compare all schools across the county
Area Performance (2026)
Attainment 8
42.5
GCSE Eng+Maths
32.9%
School Capacity & Demand
Housing Growth Detected
254 new homes approved nearby. This could generate an estimated +64 primary and +46 secondary pupils.
Source: MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years)
Primary Schools
95% occupied · 50 spare places
Secondary Schools
85% occupied · 238 spare places
Questions parents ask about schools in Downham Market
How many schools are there in Downham Market?
Downham Market has 6 open schools: 5 state primary and 1 state secondary or all-through.
Source: DfE Get Information About Schools
Are there any Outstanding schools in Downham Market?
None of the 6 graded schools in Downham Market currently holds an Outstanding rating. 6 are rated Good, so 100% are Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.
Source: Ofsted
Which primary schools in Downham Market have the best SATs results?
Of the 5 primary schools in Downham Market with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary School (83% in reading, 86% in maths); Denver Voluntary Controlled Primary School (76% in reading, 88% in maths); and Nelson Academy (70% in reading, 67% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.
Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary SchoolDenver Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolNelson Academy
Source: DfE school performance data
Are there grammar schools in Downham Market?
No. None of the state secondary schools in Downham Market selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.
Source: DfE Get Information About Schools
Do schools in Downham Market have catchment areas?
Most state schools in Downham Market have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, Norfolk allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.
How do I apply for a school place in Downham Market?
Apply to Norfolk through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.