Nelson Academy
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Nelson Academy is a sponsored academy in Downham Market for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 386 pupils, 8 more than it has places for. About 31 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 26 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 39% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.
Nursery Road, Downham Market, PE38 9PF01366 383824nelsonacademy.co.ukMrs Sarah Wilson principalAll details
What Ofsted found
A shorter visit on 9 November 2022 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
57 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 57 | 65 | 60 | 63 | 42 | 49 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 63% | 66% | 58% | 71% | 79% | 73% | 56% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 4% | 11% | 3% | 5% | 10% | 14% | 5% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 104.0 | 105.0 | 102.0 | 103.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 104.6 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 102.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 106.0 | 103.2 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 100.0 | 104.0 | 102.0 | 103.0 | 105.0 | 107.0 | 103.2 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 70% | 75% | 58% | 75% | 81% | 80% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 67% | 78% | 75% | 76% | 86% | 82% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 67% | 75% | 65% | 78% | 83% | 84% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -3.2 | +0.9 | +1.1 | +3.5 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +0.3 | +1.6 | +1.8 | +4.0 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 52% | 69% | 50% | 62% | 67% | 74% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 75% | 64% | 63% | 79% | 90% | 73% | – | – |
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.
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. 2 of the 4 gaps are 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.
About 32 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 4% 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.
Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 10 pupils, for autism.
To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Norfolk with autism provision.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 25.8 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 27.1 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (68), emotional and mental health (18), Specific learning difficulty (11), Moderate learning difficulty (6), Other difficulty or disability (5), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (5).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 386 | 403 | 417 | 415 | 421 | 418 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 30% | 32% | 33% | 32% | 32% | 32% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 20% | 19% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 15% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 17% | 13% | 12% | 10% | 8% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 8% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 3% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.5% 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 | 6.5% | 6.8% | 7.2% | 7.7% | 4.2% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 4.8% | 5.3% | 5.5% | 6.2% | 2.8% | 3.3% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.3% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 22.2% | 19.3% | 22.7% | 25.5% | 14.3% | 11.9% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 3.5 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 1.2 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
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
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary School | Council | 0.7 miles | 404 | Good 2023 | 59 | Compare |
| Wimbotsham and Stow Academy | Academy | 1.1 miles | 106 | Good 2022 | 23 | Compare |
| Denver Voluntary Controlled Primary School | Church of England | 1.2 miles | 108 | Good 2023 | 66 | Compare |
| Holy Cross Church of England Primary School | Academy | 3.4 miles | 55 | Good 2023 | 83 | Compare |
| Hilgay Riverside Academy | Academy | 3.4 miles | 75 | Good 2022 | 17 | Compare |
| Watlington Community Primary School | Council | 4.5 miles | 169 | Good 2024 | 33 | Compare |
| Magdalen Academy | Academy | 4.6 miles | 43 | Good 2024 | 20 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Nelson Academy with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 26 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 26% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 15 to 43. 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 | -0.05 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 57 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 3.8 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | below | -0.13 | DfE progress measure; 57 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | in line | -0.01 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well below | -0.11 | 2024/25; 342 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | in line | -0.02 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 57 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 Nelson Academy a good school?
The figures are weak. Nelson Academy scores 26 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 39% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 15 to 43, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Nelson Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Nelson Academy good at its last full inspection on 9 November 2022.
How good are Nelson Academy's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 63% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Nelson Academy have?
386 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 378 places, so it is 102% full.
Is Nelson Academy oversubscribed?
Probably not. 32 places were empty in 2024/25 (8% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Nelson Academy?
Pupils were in school 93.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 22% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Nelson Academy?
The average class had 26.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.
Does Nelson Academy have specialist SEND provision?
Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for autism. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.
Does Nelson Academy have a breakfast club?
Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Nursery Road, Downham Market, PE38 9PF
- Telephone
- 01366 383824
- Website
- nelsonacademy.co.uk
- Principal
- Mrs Sarah Wilson
- Free breakfast club
- Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- Eastern Multi-Academy Trust (12 schools)
- Local authority
- Norfolk
- Ward
- North Downham
- Constituency
- South West Norfolk
- Setting
- Urban: Further from a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 January 2014 (new provision)
- URN
- 140363 · LAESTAB 9262053 · UKPRN 10044154
- Formerly
- Clackclose Community Primary School, Downham Market
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.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Breakfast club: DfE list of schools on the free breakfast club programme.
- 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.