Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy
similar schools
Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy is a sponsored academy in Diss for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 72 pupils and room for 105. About 15 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 22 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 28% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.
Church Road, Garboldisham, Diss, IP22 2SE01953 681327garboldisham.stbenets.orgMr Mark Carlyle headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 7 November 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
12 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.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019† | 2018† | 2017† | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 12 | 12 | 8 | 19 | 14 | 18 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 58% | 58% | 63% | 53% | 100% | 94% | 56% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 8% | 8% | 13% | 16% | 7% | 11% | 5% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 102.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 102.0 | 109.0 | 110.0 | 104.6 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 103.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 104.0 | 109.0 | 111.0 | 103.2 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 101.0 | 108.0 | 103.0 | 102.0 | 107.0 | 108.0 | 103.2 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 58% | 83% | 63% | 58% | 100% | 100% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 75% | 83% | 75% | 68% | 100% | 100% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 67% | 58% | 63% | 79% | 100% | 94% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +0.8 | -1.6 | +1.4 | +4.7 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +2.2 | -0.5 | +2.1 | +5.0 | – | – |
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.
† These results are for Garboldisham Church Primary School, the school this one replaced in December 2020. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
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.
31 places were empty (30% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 17% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.
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.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 13.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 21.0 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (3), Hearing impairment (2), Autistic spectrum disorder (1), Physical disability (1), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (1), language and communications needs (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 72 | 79 | 73 | 74 | 89 | 98 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 15% | 18% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 6% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 3% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 2% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 13% | 12% | 15% | 11% | 12% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19† | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 7.3% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 6.4% | 2.9% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 4.1% | 3.5% | 4.5% | 5.7% | 2.3% | 2.9% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 3.2% | 1.1% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.7% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 17.6% | 5.5% | 11.6% | 17.1% | 3.6% | 5.1% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
† These attendance figures are for Garboldisham Church Primary School, the school this one replaced in December 2020. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Staff
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025.
The area around the school
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hopton Church of England Primary Academy | Academy | 1.7 miles | 46 | No overall grade 2025 | – | Compare |
| St Andrew's CofE VA Primary School, Lopham | Church of England | 2.2 miles | 12 | Requires improvement 2024 | 4 | Compare |
| East Harling Primary School and Nursery | Foundation | 3.0 miles | 191 | Good 2022 | 26 | Compare |
| Kenninghall Primary School | Academy | 3.3 miles | 104 | Report card 2026 | 24 | Compare |
| Barningham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School | Church of England | 3.8 miles | 70 | No overall grade 2025 | 52 | Compare |
| St Botolph's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School | Church of England | 4.4 miles | 180 | Good 2023 | 76 | Compare |
| Bressingham Primary School | Foundation | 4.7 miles | 139 | Good 2024 | 85 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy with the 46 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 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 46 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy, 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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barningham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School | Church of England | 3.8 miles | 70 | No overall grade 2025 | 52 | Compare |
| Tacolneston Church of England Primary Academy | Academy | 12.0 miles | 70 | Not inspected | 64 | Compare |
| Forncett St Peter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | Church of England | 12.0 miles | 84 | Good 2024 | 41 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 22 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 22% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 8 to 53. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | in line | -0.07 | 2025 and 2024 results; 12 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 2.9 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | -0.06 | Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 12 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well below | -0.15 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | below | -0.06 | 2024/25; 74 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | in line | -0.03 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 12 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | 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 Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy a good school?
The figures are weak. Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy scores 22 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 28% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 8 to 53, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy good at its last full inspection on 7 November 2023.
How good are Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 58% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 8% 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 Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy have?
72 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 105 places, so it is 69% full.
Is Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy oversubscribed?
Probably not. 31 places were empty in 2024/25 (30% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy?
Pupils were in school 92.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Garboldisham Church of England Primary Academy?
The average class had 18.3 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, Garboldisham, Diss, IP22 2SE
- Telephone
- 01953 681327
- Website
- garboldisham.stbenets.org
- Headteacher
- Mr Mark Carlyle
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 5-11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of Norwich
- Multi-academy trust
- The Diocese of Norwich St Benet's Multi-Academy Trust (19 schools)
- Local authority
- Norfolk
- Ward
- Guiltcross
- Constituency
- South West Norfolk
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 December 2020 (new provision)
- URN
- 148237 · LAESTAB 9262242 · UKPRN 10087058
- Formerly
- Garboldisham Church Primary School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.