Costessey Primary School

South Norfolk · NR5 0RR

General information Primary School · 3-11 years Who goes here 559 pupils, 26.7% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 15.9% on SEN support Behaviour 4.7% absence rate Staff 20.3% turnover Financials £5,947 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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Costessey Primary School

General Information

Address: Three Mile Lane, Costessey, Norwich, NR5 0RR – View on map
Phone: 01603742203
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Miss Zara Lambert
Age range: 3-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 76 families put it first for 76 places – 10 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 10 · 2024 10 · 2025 10 · 2026 10
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

559 pupils out of 630 places

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 141
% eligible for free school meals: 26.7%
Pupil mix: 4 in 10 (more mixed than the South Norfolk average)
English as an additional language: 13% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 20.3% a year (South Norfolk 17.3%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 57% moved to another school, 43% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Norfolk: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 26 (0.4 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 12 (0.2 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 5 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Norfolk (the council area this school is in), not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 4.7%
Persistently absent pupils: 10.6%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 15.9%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 3.2%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Moderate learning difficulty: 22 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 21 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 17 pupils
SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need: 16 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 4 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Social, emotional and mental health: 5 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 4 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 4 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 3 pupils
Hearing impairment: 1 pupil

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Good 2023 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 55% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 9% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 8 percentage points below the South Norfolk average (63%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Below (3-year average 57% against an expected 65%)
3-year average (expected standard): 57%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 80% · Writing 65% · Maths 77% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 75%
Average test scores: reading 106, maths 105
Based on: 91 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolSouth Norfolk averageEngland→ Broadly steady No clear rise or fall since 2022/23 (changes this small are normal from one year group to the next). In 2024/25 this school was 8 percentage points below the South Norfolk average (63%).

Year 6 SATs: 36th of 52 junior and primary schools in the area

=32Seething and Mundham Primary School56%
=32St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Costessey56%
#36Costessey Primary School55%
=37Stoke Holy Cross Primary School52%
=37Tasburgh Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School52%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

=1Ashleigh Primary School and Nursery, Wymondham89%
=1Surlingham Primary School89%
#3Alpington and Bergh Apton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School88%
#4The Bawburgh School86%
=5Cringleford CE VA Primary School83%
=5Saxlingham Nethergate CofE VC Primary School83%
#7Wreningham VC Primary School81%
#8Trowse Primary School76%
#9St Peter's CofE Primary Academy, Easton75%
=10Bressingham Primary School73%
=10Earsham Church of England Primary Academy73%
=10Queen's Hill Primary School73%
#13Browick Road Primary and Nursery School71%
=14Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy70%
=14Wymondham College Prep School70%
#16Spooner Row Primary School69%
#17Aslacton Primary School67%
=18Brooke Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School65%
=18Mulbarton Primary School65%
#20Hempnall Primary School64%
#21Poringland Primary School63%
=22Dickleburgh Church of England Primary Academy (With Pre-School)62%
=22Hingham Primary School62%
=22Robert Kett Primary School62%
#25Little Melton Primary School61%
#26Hethersett Woodside Primary & Nursery School60%
=27Morley Church of England Primary Academy59%
=27The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)59%
#29Hethersett VC Primary School58%
=30Newton Flotman Church of England Primary Academy57%
=30Scole Church of England Primary Academy57%
=32Alburgh With Denton Church of England Primary Academy56%
=32Barford Primary School56%
=32Seething and Mundham Primary School56%
=32St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Costessey56%
#36Costessey Primary School55%
=37Stoke Holy Cross Primary School52%
=37Tasburgh Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School52%
=37Wicklewood Primary School and Nursery52%
#40Roydon Primary School51%
=41Diss Church of England Junior Academy50%
=41St Mary's Church of England Junior Academy50%
=41Woodton Primary School50%
#44Tacolneston Church of England Primary Academy47%
#45Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy45%
#46Barnham Broom Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School44%
#47Thurton Primary School40%
=48Forncett St Peter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School33%
=48Thurlton Primary School33%
#50Ellingham VC Primary School30%
#51Bunwell Primary School25%
#52Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School13%

View full Ofsted inspection report

10th of 34 primary schools in South Norfolk for Ofsted rating

#8Bunwell Primary SchoolGood
#9Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#10Costessey Primary SchoolGood
#11Cringleford CE VA Primary SchoolGood
#12Ditchingham Church of England Primary AcademyGood

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Ashleigh Primary School and Nursery, WymondhamOutstanding
#2Little Melton Primary SchoolOutstanding
#3Wymondham College Prep SchoolOutstanding
#4All Saints Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, WinfarthingGood
#5Aslacton Primary SchoolGood
#6Bressingham Primary SchoolGood
#7Brooke Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#8Bunwell Primary SchoolGood
#9Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#10Costessey Primary SchoolGood
#11Cringleford CE VA Primary SchoolGood
#12Ditchingham Church of England Primary AcademyGood
#13Ellingham VC Primary SchoolGood
#14Forncett St Peter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#15Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary AcademyGood
#16Glebeland Community Primary SchoolGood
#17Hempnall Primary SchoolGood
#18Hethersett VC Primary SchoolGood
#19Hingham Primary SchoolGood
#20Mulbarton Primary SchoolGood
#21Poringland Primary SchoolGood
#22Queen's Hill Primary SchoolGood
#23Rockland St Mary Primary SchoolGood
#24Roydon Primary SchoolGood
#25Saxlingham Nethergate CofE VC Primary SchoolGood
#26Seething and Mundham Primary SchoolGood
#27St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, CostesseyGood
#28St Peter's CofE Primary Academy, EastonGood
#29Stoke Holy Cross Primary SchoolGood
#30Surlingham Primary SchoolGood
#31Tasburgh Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolGood
#32Thurlton Primary SchoolGood
#33Woodton Primary SchoolGood
#34Hethersett Woodside Primary & Nursery SchoolRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £5,947 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

46th of 50 primary schools in South Norfolk for spending per pupil

#44Bressingham Primary School£6,116
#45Alburgh With Denton Church of England Primary Academy£6,048
#46Costessey Primary School£5,947
#47Mulbarton Primary School£5,943
#48Cringleford CE VA Primary School£5,900

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Glebeland Community Primary School£27,563
#2Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy£22,986
#3All Saints Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Winfarthing£20,971
#4Tivetshall Community Primary School£19,188
#5Cringleford Prep£18,913
#6Burston Community Primary School£17,520
#7Tacolneston Church of England Primary Academy£16,632
#8Woodton Primary School£10,088
#9Brooke Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School£10,082
#10Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£9,797
#11Dickleburgh Church of England Primary Academy (With Pre-School)£9,791
#12Forncett St Peter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£9,461
#13Barnham Broom Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£8,920
#14The Bawburgh School£8,900
#15Barford Primary School£8,426
#16Surlingham Primary School£8,102
#17Tasburgh Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School£8,020
#18Wicklewood Primary School and Nursery£7,989
#19Bunwell Primary School£7,769
#20Newton Flotman Church of England Primary Academy£7,756
#21Thurlton Primary School£7,591
#22Ellingham VC Primary School£7,549
#23Seething and Mundham Primary School£7,418
#24Thurton Primary School£7,413
#25Aslacton Primary School£7,273
#26Wreningham VC Primary School£7,096
#27Browick Road Primary and Nursery School£6,910
#28Spooner Row Primary School£6,692
#29Hempnall Primary School£6,634
#30Little Melton Primary School£6,622
#31Ashleigh Primary School and Nursery, Wymondham£6,463
#32Roydon Primary School£6,450
#33Stoke Holy Cross Primary School£6,418
#34Trowse Primary School£6,390
#35Hethersett Woodside Primary & Nursery School£6,375
#36St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Costessey£6,340
#37Hingham Primary School£6,328
#38Hethersett VC Primary School£6,319
#39Wymondham College Prep School£6,310
#40Poringland Primary School£6,279
#41Robert Kett Primary School£6,267
#42Alpington and Bergh Apton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£6,217
#43Rockland St Mary Primary School£6,207
#44Bressingham Primary School£6,116
#45Alburgh With Denton Church of England Primary Academy£6,048
#46Costessey Primary School£5,947
#47Mulbarton Primary School£5,943
#48Cringleford CE VA Primary School£5,900
#49Queen's Hill Primary School£5,864
#50Pulham Church of England Primary Academy£1,358

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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