Elmham Rd, Beetley, Dereham, NR20 4BW
01362 860114

Ofsted and other useful reports

Our last Ofsted inspection was in June 2026.  Download a PDF copy of our latest report.

“The school is a calm and focused place. The expectations of how pupils will behave are very clear.”

“Parents talk about how the school feels like a community.”

“The warm relationship between staff and pupils is clear.”

“Leaders and governors know their school well.”

We are very pleased with the clear recognition inspectors have given to the considerable improvements that have taken place across the school over the last three years. When Ofsted visited in 2023, the report highlighted concerns around behaviour, curriculum delivery, staff training, assessment systems and school improvement processes.

The latest inspection acknowledges the substantial progress made in these areas. Inspectors found that St Mary’s is now meeting the expected standard in many key areas, including:

Leadership and Governance

  • Leaders and governors know the school well.
  • The right priorities have been tackled since the previous inspection.
  • Staff benefit from a strong programme of professional development.

Behaviour and Attendance

  • Behaviour has improved significantly.
  • The school was described as a “calm and focused place”.
  • Bullying is rare.
  • Attendance is in line with national figures.

Personal Development

  • Pupils understand British values and democracy.
  • The Relationships and Life Skills curriculum is having a positive impact.
  • Children benefit from a wide range of enrichment opportunities.

Inclusion

  • Pupils with SEND and those needing additional support are identified and supported effectively.
  • Pastoral support is a strength of the school.

Early Years

  • Children are well cared for and develop strong language and communication skills.

Safeguarding

  • Safeguarding remains effective and pupils report feeling safe.

We are proud that inspectors recognised the substantial work undertaken to address these areas and the positive changes that can now be seen across the school.

What We Are Still Working On

We are ambitious for every child and know there is more to do. Ofsted identified three key priorities:

Writing

  • Improving handwriting and letter formation.
  • Strengthening spelling, punctuation and grammar.
  • Increasing the number of pupils achieving the expected standard.

Mathematics

  • Ensuring pupils gain secure knowledge of key number facts and times tables.
  • Continuing to improve outcomes over time.

Attainment

  • Ensuring that a greater proportion of pupils achieves the expected standard in writing, reading and maths by the time they leave St. Mary’s in Year 6.

These priorities are already central to our School Development Plan and work is well underway.

While there is more to do, this report provides strong external validation that the school is moving in the right direction. It recognises the dedication of our staff, governors, pupils and families and acknowledges the positive culture that has been established throughout the school.

We are proud of how far we have come, but we are not complacent. Our ambition remains high, and we will continue to work relentlessly to secure the best outcomes for every pupil. We are confident that the foundations are now firmly in place and look forward to welcoming Ofsted back in the next 12 to 18 months to demonstrate further improvements that we have made.

Parents are encouraged to share their views with Ofsted on ‘Parent View’

If you would like to compare our school to others, than please visit the School Performance Tables website.

You can also visit the gov.uk School’s financial benchmarking website for more information about our school.