School Chooser

Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedChurch of England59 pupilsNorwichNorfolk
School Chooser Score
28
Below
similar schools
Likely range 11 to 58, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 38% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, March 2025
Reached the expected level at 1113%England 63%
Attendance92.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families17%Far fewer than most schools
Places18 spare59 pupils, 77 places
Pupils per teacher14.4School workforce census

Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Norwich for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 59 pupils and room for 77. About 17 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 28 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 38% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Church Road, Carleton Rode, Norwich, NR16 1RW01953 789384carletonrode-primary.norfolk.sch.ukMr Callum Richards interim headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 11 March 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes
Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
16 June 2021UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

8 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1113%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score99.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score98.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 33%33%20172018: 38%38%20182019: 33%33%20192023: 30%30%20232024: 50%50%20242025: 13%13%2025
Since 2017: -20%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017NorfolkEngland
Pupils tested8610686
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths13%50%30%33%38%33%56%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%17%13%0%5%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score99.0106.0104.0102.0102.099.0104.6105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score98.0103.099.0104.0105.0100.0103.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score97.0105.0101.0104.0102.0101.0103.2105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard25%83%70%67%50%50%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard25%50%60%67%88%67%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)38%50%60%33%50%50%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.7+0.4-3.3-4.4
Maths progressMaths progress score-5.5+2.1+0.6-3.3

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places65 pupils for 77 places, 2024/25
84% full

12 places were empty (16% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 14% since 2021/22.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Norfolk council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll59Census January 2026
Places7777% full
Pupils from low-income families17%17% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English0%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support20%12 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan17%10 pupils with a plan
Average class size19.73 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)17%£15,500 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls31 / 28
White British pupils95%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (5), Autistic spectrum disorder (4), Moderate learning difficulty (3), Other difficulty or disability (3), language and communications needs (3), Severe learning difficulty (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll596157595247
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals17%16%21%19%15%17%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language0%0%2%2%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support16%14%31%10%11%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans13%11%3%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance92.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school17.2%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission3.5%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence7.5%11.7%9.4%11.5%5.9%5.1%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.0%5.4%5.6%7.9%4.5%3.6%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence3.5%6.4%3.8%3.6%1.4%1.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence17.2%24.5%24.1%32.7%16.3%10.2%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.05.10.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00100

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers4.1full-time equivalent, 6 people
Pupils per teacher14.4Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants4.3full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,911
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.22024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£9,797England £7,738. Total £598k
Income per pupil£9,475England £7,697. Total £578k
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,119England £3,480
Money in reserve15%A healthy amount put by: £87k, £1,424 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£20kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£9,797spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m612 months to June 2026, mostly other theft
Local crime rate27 per 1,000 people70% lower than the England average
Typical house price£300,000South Norfolk

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Bunwell Primary SchoolAcademy0.7 miles73No overall grade 202514Compare
Tacolneston Church of England Primary AcademyAcademy2.4 miles70Not inspected64Compare
Aslacton Primary SchoolAcademy2.9 miles74Not inspected45Compare
Forncett St Peter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolChurch of England3.0 miles84Good 202441Compare
Old Buckenham Primary SchoolAcademy3.1 miles184Good 202448Compare
Spooner Row Primary SchoolAcademy3.5 miles107Report card 202639Compare
Banham Primary SchoolAcademy4.1 miles95No overall grade 202445Compare
All Saints Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, WinfarthingChurch of England4.3 miles26Good 202493Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School with the 45 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 45 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats38%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 28 is 10 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 38 · highest 88100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 45 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Tacolneston Church of England Primary AcademyAcademy2.4 miles70Not inspected64Compare
Barningham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolChurch of England13.3 miles70No overall grade 202552Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 28 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 28% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 11 to 58. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years0%no data
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.03
Ofsted grade, 1.5 years old
Progress pupils make0%no data
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.15
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.16
2024/25; 58 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils0%no data
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School scores 28 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 38% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 11 to 58, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 11 March 2025.

How good are Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 13% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School have?

59 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 77 places, so it is 77% full.

Is Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 12 places were empty in 2024/25 (16% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?

Pupils were in school 92.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 17% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?

The average class had 19.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Church Road, Carleton Rode, Norwich, NR16 1RW
Telephone
01953 789384
Website
www.carletonrode-primary.norfolk.sch.uk
Interim Headteacher
Mr Callum Richards
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Norwich
Local authority
Norfolk
Ward
Bunwell
Constituency
Waveney Valley
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
121110 · LAESTAB 9263309 · UKPRN 10079237

Where these figures come from