Find the best primary schools in South Norfolk. Compare Ofsted ratings, catchment areas and parent reviews.
South Norfolk has 65 primary schools, all in Norfolk council's area. Most state schools here offer places by distance from home once children in care and siblings of current pupils have been admitted, so how close you live decides your chances at any school with more applicants than places. Some councils draw a fixed catchment boundary instead, and the distance at which the last place went changes every year. Of the 65, 29 are faith schools that can put children of their faith first, so distance counts for less there.
Use the distance checker to measure your home's straight-line distance to any South Norfolk primary school, and each school's page for its Ofsted report, results and admissions details. Check your distance to a school or try the admissions calculator.
| School | Type | Our rating |
|---|---|---|
| The Bawburgh School | Mixed | 4.7 / 5 |
| Ashleigh Primary School and Nursery, Wymondham | Mixed | 4.7 / 5 |
| Saxlingham Nethergate CofE VC Primary School | Church of England | 4.6 / 5 |
| Surlingham Primary School | Mixed | 4.5 / 5 |
| Wreningham VC Primary School | Church of England | 4.5 / 5 |
| Alpington and Bergh Apton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | Church of England | 4.5 / 5 |
| Bressingham Primary School | Mixed | 4.5 / 5 |
| Wymondham College Prep School |
There are 65 primary schools in South Norfolk. Of those, 1 is an all-through school, teaching both primary and secondary years.
Apply by 15 January for a Reception place starting that September. Children start Reception in the September after their fourth birthday. You apply to the council where you live, even if the school is in another council's area, and can usually list between 3 and 6 schools in order of preference. If you live in South Norfolk, that council is Norfolk. Offers are sent on 16 April, or the next working day.
Of the 65 primary schools in South Norfolk, 29 have a religious character: 28 Church of England and 1 Roman Catholic. When a faith school has more applicants than places, it can give priority to children of its faith. Many ask for a supplementary form, sometimes signed by a religious leader, so read the school's admissions policy before you apply.
On our star rating, the highest rated are The Bawburgh School (4.7), Ashleigh Primary School and Nursery, Wymondham (4.7), Saxlingham Nethergate CofE VC Primary School (4.6), Surlingham Primary School (4.5) and Wreningham VC Primary School (4.5). The rating is our own, out of 5. It combines Parent View survey results, the latest Ofsted inspection and SATs results, with the parent survey carrying the most weight. Of the 65 schools here, 58 have enough published data for a rating.
| Mixed |
| 4.4 / 5 |
| Little Melton Primary School | Mixed | 4.4 / 5 |
| Cringleford CE VA Primary School | Church of England | 4.4 / 5 |
| Rockland St Mary Primary School | Mixed | 4.3 / 5 |
| Trowse Primary School | Mixed | 4.2 / 5 |
| Browick Road Primary and Nursery School | Mixed | 4.2 / 5 |
| St Peter's CofE Primary Academy, Easton | Church of England | 4.2 / 5 |
| Burston Community Primary School | Mixed | 4.1 / 5 |
| Manor Field Infant and Nursery School | Mixed | 4.0 / 5 |
| Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy | Church of England | 4.0 / 5 |
| Tivetshall Community Primary School | Mixed | 4.0 / 5 |
| Queen's Hill Primary School | Mixed | 3.9 / 5 |
| Seething and Mundham Primary School | Mixed | 3.9 / 5 |
| Hethersett VC Primary School | Church of England | 3.9 / 5 |
| Hingham Primary School | Mixed | 3.8 / 5 |
| Dickleburgh Church of England Primary Academy (With Pre-School) | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| Hempnall Primary School | Mixed | 3.8 / 5 |
| Costessey Primary School | Mixed | 3.7 / 5 |
| Scole Church of England Primary Academy | Church of England | 3.7 / 5 |
| Spooner Row Primary School | Mixed | 3.7 / 5 |
| St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Costessey | Roman Catholic | 3.7 / 5 |
| Mulbarton Primary School | Mixed | 3.6 / 5 |
| Aslacton Primary School | Mixed | 3.6 / 5 |
| Poringland Primary School | Mixed | 3.5 / 5 |
| Diss Infant Academy and Nursery | Mixed | 3.4 / 5 |
| Morley Church of England Primary Academy | Church of England | 3.4 / 5 |
| Preston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School | Church of England | 3.4 / 5 |
| Woodton Primary School | Mixed | 3.4 / 5 |
| St Mary's Church of England Junior Academy | Church of England | 3.4 / 5 |
| Roydon Primary School | Mixed | 3.3 / 5 |
| Barford Primary School | Mixed | 3.3 / 5 |
| Robert Kett Primary School | Mixed | 3.3 / 5 |
| Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy | Church of England | 3.2 / 5 |
| Alburgh With Denton Church of England Primary Academy | Church of England | 3.2 / 5 |
| Bunwell Primary School | Mixed | 3.2 / 5 |
| The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) | Church of England, all-through | 3.2 / 5 |
| Diss Church of England Junior Academy | Church of England | 3.1 / 5 |
| Thurlton Primary School | Mixed | 3.1 / 5 |
| Newton Flotman Church of England Primary Academy | Church of England | 3.1 / 5 |
| Stoke Holy Cross Primary School | Mixed | 3.1 / 5 |
| Thurton Primary School | Church of England | 3.1 / 5 |
| Ellingham VC Primary School | Church of England | 3.0 / 5 |
| Tacolneston Church of England Primary Academy | Church of England | 3.0 / 5 |
| Hapton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | Church of England | 3.0 / 5 |
| Hethersett Woodside Primary & Nursery School | Mixed | 3.0 / 5 |
| Brooke Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 3.0 / 5 |
| Forncett St Peter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | Church of England | 2.9 / 5 |
| Wicklewood Primary School and Nursery | Mixed | 2.9 / 5 |
| Barnham Broom Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | Church of England | 2.8 / 5 |
| Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | Church of England | 2.5 / 5 |
| Earsham Church of England Primary Academy | Church of England | 2.5 / 5 |
| All Saints Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Winfarthing | Church of England | Not yet rated |
| Cringleford Prep | Mixed | Not yet rated |
| Glebeland Community Primary School | Mixed | Not yet rated |
| Loddon Infant and Nursery School | Mixed | Not yet rated |
| Loddon Junior School | Mixed | Not yet rated |
| Pulham Church of England Primary Academy | Church of England | Not yet rated |
| Silfield Oak Primary Academy | Mixed | Not yet rated |
Our rating is out of 5 and combines Parent View survey results, the latest Ofsted inspection and published results. Source: Department for Education (GIAS) and Ofsted.
Only when you qualify for more than one school. Each school ranks applicants against its own admission criteria without knowing where you placed it. If you qualify for several, the council offers the one you ranked highest, so putting a popular school first does not lower your chances at your second choice.
No. Distance only matters when a school has more applicants than places, and then it offers places in the order its admission criteria set out. Children in care or adopted from care come first by law. Most schools put brothers and sisters of current pupils next, then distance or catchment area. Faith schools and grammar schools use different criteria. How far away the last place went changes every year, depending on who applies.
The council offers a place at another school with room, which may be further from home. You can accept it and still join the waiting lists for the schools you preferred. Waiting lists are ranked by the admission criteria, not by how long a child has been on them. You can also appeal to an independent panel for any school that refused you. Appeals for Reception to Year 2 rarely succeed, because infant classes are limited to 30 pupils by law and a panel can only admit above that limit in narrow circumstances.