Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary School

King's Lynn and West Norfolk · PE38 9ND

General information Primary School · 5-11 years Who goes here 404 pupils, 18.8% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN SEN unit · 9.4% on SEN support Behaviour 4.9% absence rate Staff 15.8% turnover Financials £6,958 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary School

General Information

Address: Hillcrest, Bexwell Road, Downham Market, PE38 9ND – View on map
Phone: 01366388191
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mr Matthew Try
Age range: 5-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 57 families put it first for 56 places – 10 for every 10 places. 96% of them were offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 10 · 2024 13 · 2025 9 · 2026 10
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: No

Who goes here

404 pupils out of 420 places At or near capacity

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 76
% eligible for free school meals: 18.8%
Pupil mix: 3 in 10 (similar to the King's Lynn and West Norfolk average)
English as an additional language: 9% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 15.8% a year (King's Lynn and West Norfolk 17.4%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 28% moved to another school, 72% 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: 4.9%
Persistently absent pupils: 10.9%
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

SEN unit for Severe learning difficultiesSpecific learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia) 20 places · 14 pupils at the last count

Places are usually for children with an EHC Plan and are arranged through the council, not the normal school application.

Pupils on SEN Support: 9.4%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 3.0%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 16 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 9 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 7 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 4 pupils
Hearing impairment: 1 pupil

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Speech, language and communications needs: 5 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 4 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 2 pupils
Physical disability: 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: 71% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 8% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 14 percentage points above the King's Lynn and West Norfolk average (57%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: As expected (3-year average 64% against an expected 64%)
3-year average (expected standard): 64%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 83% · Writing 75% · Maths 86% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 83%
Average test scores: reading 107, maths 107
Based on: 59 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 schoolKing's Lynn and West Norfolk averageEngland↗ Improving Up 12 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 14 percentage points above the King's Lynn and West Norfolk average (57%).

Year 6 SATs: joint 12th of 57 junior and primary schools in the area

#10Reffley Academy74%
#11Snettisham Primary School73%
=12Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary School71%
=12Walpole Highway Primary School71%
#14Sandringham and West Newton Church of England Primary Academy70%

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

#1All Saints Academy93%
#2Ingoldisthorpe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School83%
#3Iceni Primary Academy80%
#4St Martin At Shouldham Church of England Primary Academy79%
#5Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School77%
=6Denver Voluntary Controlled Primary School76%
=6North Wootton Academy76%
=8Flitcham Church of England Primary Academy75%
=8The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold75%
#10Reffley Academy74%
#11Snettisham Primary School73%
=12Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary School71%
=12Walpole Highway Primary School71%
#14Sandringham and West Newton Church of England Primary Academy70%
#15Gaywood Primary School69%
#16Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, Feltwell68%
=17Anthony Curton CofE Primary School67%
=17Ashwicken Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School67%
=17Tilney All Saints CofE Primary School67%
=17West Lynn Primary School67%
#21St Martha's Catholic Primary School65%
#22Heacham Junior School64%
#23Nelson Academy63%
#24Watlington Community Primary School62%
#25Burnham Market Primary and Nursery School61%
=26Emneth Academy60%
=26Hilgay Riverside Academy60%
=26South Wootton Junior School60%
#29Dersingham Primary School59%
#30Eastgate Academy58%
#31Hunstanton Primary School57%
#32Wimbotsham and Stow Academy56%
#33Whitefriars Church of England Primary Academy54%
#34Clenchwarton Primary School53%
=35Docking Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery50%
=35Holly Meadows School50%
=35St Michael's Church of England Academy50%
=35Walpole Cross Keys Primary School50%
=35West Winch Primary School50%
=40Cherry Tree Academy Trust Marham Junior48%
=40Greenpark Academy48%
#42Duchy of Lancaster Methwold CofE Primary School47%
=43Beaupre Community Primary School46%
=43Southery Academy46%
#45St Germans Academy45%
=46Parkway Academy43%
=46Terrington St Clement Community School43%
#48Fairstead Community Primary and Nursery School42%
#49Holy Cross Church of England Primary School40%
#50West Walton Community Primary School34%
=51Castle Acre Church of England Primary Academy33%
=51Harpley CofE VC Primary School33%
=51Terrington St John Primary School33%
=54Greyfriars Academy31%
=54Upwell Academy31%
#56Tilney St Lawrence Community Primary School29%
#57Magdalen Academy17%

View full Ofsted inspection report

10th of 41 primary schools in King's Lynn and West Norfolk for Ofsted rating

#8Denver Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolGood
#9Dersingham Primary SchoolGood
#10Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary SchoolGood
#11Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, FeltwellGood
#12Emneth 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

#1Eastgate AcademyOutstanding
#2Whitefriars Church of England Primary AcademyOutstanding
#3All Saints AcademyGood
#4Anthony Curton CofE Primary SchoolGood
#5Burnham Market Primary and Nursery SchoolGood
#6Castle Acre Church of England Primary AcademyGood
#7Clenchwarton Primary SchoolGood
#8Denver Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolGood
#9Dersingham Primary SchoolGood
#10Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary SchoolGood
#11Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, FeltwellGood
#12Emneth AcademyGood
#13Flitcham Church of England Primary AcademyGood
#14Greenpark AcademyGood
#15Hilgay Riverside AcademyGood
#16Holly Meadows SchoolGood
#17Holy Cross Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#18Hunstanton Primary SchoolGood
#19Magdalen AcademyGood
#20Marshland St James Primary and Nursery SchoolGood
#21Nelson AcademyGood
#22North Wootton AcademyGood
#23Reffley AcademyGood
#24Rudham CofE Primary AcademyGood
#25Sandringham and West Newton Church of England Primary AcademyGood
#26Snettisham Primary SchoolGood
#27St Martha's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#28St Michael's Church of England AcademyGood
#29Terrington St Clement Community SchoolGood
#30Terrington St John Primary SchoolGood
#31The Norman Church of England Primary School, NorthwoldGood
#32Tilney All Saints CofE Primary SchoolGood
#33Walpole Cross Keys Primary SchoolGood
#34Walpole Highway Primary SchoolGood
#35Watlington Community Primary SchoolGood
#36West Lynn Primary SchoolGood
#37West Walton Community Primary SchoolGood
#38West Winch Primary SchoolGood
#39Wimbotsham and Stow AcademyGood
#40Greyfriars AcademyRequires improvement
#41Tilney St Lawrence Community Primary SchoolRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £6,958 (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.

23rd of 49 primary schools in King's Lynn and West Norfolk for spending per pupil

#21Holly Meadows School£7,289
#22Iceni Primary Academy£7,181
#23Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary School£6,958
#24St Germans Academy£6,957
#25Reffley Academy£6,949

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

#1Flitcham Church of England Primary Academy£22,106
#2Rudham CofE Primary Academy£21,050
#3Holy Cross Church of England Primary School£10,882
#4Great Massingham CofE Primary School£10,197
#5Hilgay Riverside Academy£9,676
#6Harpley CofE VC Primary School£9,563
#7Snettisham Primary School£9,422
#8Magdalen Academy£9,140
#9St Michael's Church of England Academy£8,761
#10Walpole Cross Keys Primary School£8,741
#11Southery Academy£8,422
#12Greyfriars Academy£8,088
#13Ashwicken Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£7,974
#14Burnham Market Primary and Nursery School£7,880
#15Tilney St Lawrence Community Primary School£7,760
#16Hunstanton Primary School£7,694
#17Duchy of Lancaster Methwold CofE Primary School£7,659
#18Denver Voluntary Controlled Primary School£7,565
#19Fairstead Community Primary and Nursery School£7,394
#20Beaupre Community Primary School£7,361
#21Holly Meadows School£7,289
#22Iceni Primary Academy£7,181
#23Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary School£6,958
#24St Germans Academy£6,957
#25Reffley Academy£6,949
#26Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, Feltwell£6,948
#27West Lynn Primary School£6,881
#28Tilney All Saints CofE Primary School£6,880
#29Clenchwarton Primary School£6,824
#30Terrington St Clement Community School£6,771
#31Greenpark Academy£6,762
#32Watlington Community Primary School£6,658
#33The Norman Church of England Primary School, Northwold£6,610
#34West Winch Primary School£6,594
#35Nelson Academy£6,584
#36Dersingham Primary School£6,523
#37Wimbotsham and Stow Academy£6,509
#38All Saints Academy£6,500
#39Upwell Academy£6,391
#40Eastgate Academy£6,355
#41St Martin At Shouldham Church of England Primary Academy£6,204
#42Whitefriars Church of England Primary Academy£6,024
#43Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School£5,843
#44Anthony Curton CofE Primary School£5,795
#45North Wootton Academy£5,644
#46St Martha's Catholic Primary School£5,643
#47Ingoldisthorpe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£5,625
#48Gaywood Primary School£5,411
#49Emneth Academy£5,332

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

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