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Schools in Swaffham

A town in Norfolk

  • Town
  • 8 schools and nurseries
  • 1,422 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, fewer than across England. Results at 11 are below England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Missing school is a bigger problem than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Swaffham at a glance

Behind England on primary inspections

How Swaffham's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries83 primary · 1 secondary · 2 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better67%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1127%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths38%Attainment 8 43.7, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary36%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school22%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Swaffham

Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All Swaffham primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Swaffham

3 mainstream schools in Swaffham, best first

Swaffham CofE Primary Academy

Swaffham, PE37 7EA · Academy · Primary · Ages 2 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well below the England average.

36 first choices, 28 offers made

Met the standard at 1141%

England 62%

Days missed
5.6%
Pupils
215
Pupils per teacher
21.0
View school Swaffham CofE Primary Academy

Swaffham Meadow Primary School

Swaffham, PE37 7HL · Academy · Primary · Ages 4 to 11

  • Ofsted:Inadequate

Results well below the England average.

3 first choices, 15 offers made

Met the standard at 110%

England 62%

Days missed
10.8%
Pupils
61
Pupils per teacher
15.3
View school Swaffham Meadow Primary School

Top Secondary Schools in Swaffham

1 mainstream schools in Swaffham, best first

The Nicholas Hamond Academy

Swaffham, PE37 7DZ · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Needs attention in 2 areas

Results close to the England average.

154 first choices, 154 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1643.7

England 46.2

Days missed
9.2%
Pupils
710
Pupils per teacher
17.6
View school The Nicholas Hamond Academy

Nurseries in Swaffham

2 in Swaffham, highest Ofsted grade first

Sixth Forms in Swaffham

2 in Swaffham, by the school's Eduscope score

Fred Nicholson School

Swaffham, PE37 7BB · Special · All-through · Ages 3 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
8.9%
Pupils
195
Pupils per teacher
9.5
View school Fred Nicholson School

Special Schools in Swaffham

1 in Swaffham. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Fred Nicholson School

Swaffham, PE37 7BB · Special · All-through · Ages 3 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
8.9%
Pupils
195
Pupils per teacher
9.5
View school Fred Nicholson School

Private Schools in Swaffham

1 in Swaffham. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

The map

Every school in Swaffham, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Heartwood CofE VC Primary & Nursery School, GoodFred Nicholson School, GoodOneSchool Global UK - Swaffham Campus, InspectedThe Nicholas Hamond Academy, Needs attention in 2 areasSwaffham CofE Primary Academy, GoodSwaffham Meadow Primary School, InadequateSwaffham Preschool Playgroup, GoodTeenie Iceni's Day Nursery, Good
  • Good5
  • Inadequate1
  • Not graded yet2
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

Postcodes

Browse Swaffham by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Swaffham vs England

How good are Swaffham's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Swaffham

SwaffhamEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 3 primaries with one.

    67%

    England 96%

    Below England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    27%

    England 62%

    Below England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    38%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    22%

    England 18%

    Worse than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    36%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 4 schools that have one.

75%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good3
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate1

How it has changed

Swaffham in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap10%40%70%20182019202320242025
27% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap10%30%50%2018201920222023202420252026
38% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%20%40%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
22% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Swaffham has 8 schools and nurseries.

There are 16% more pupils than in 2018.

36% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Swaffham's state schools each January.

Up 16% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.

Free school meals

Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.

Swaffham36%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Swaffham

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Questions

Questions parents ask about Swaffham

How many schools are in Swaffham?

Swaffham has 8 schools, including 5 primary schools, 3 secondary schools, 2 nurseries, 1 independent school, 1 special school. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Swaffham?

The highest-ranked schools in Swaffham on Eduscope are Heartwood CofE VC Primary & Nursery School, Swaffham CofE Primary Academy, The Nicholas Hamond Academy. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.

What percentage of schools in Swaffham are rated Good or Outstanding?

75% of inspected schools in Swaffham hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 3 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Swaffham perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Swaffham, 27% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Swaffham?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Swaffham is 16.3:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in Swaffham schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Swaffham is 22.3%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.

How many pupils attend schools in Swaffham?

There are 1,422 pupils enrolled across schools in Swaffham, with 517 in primary and 905 in secondary. 32.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Swaffham?

There is 1 independent school in Swaffham. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare it on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in Swaffham?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 8 schools in Swaffham by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.

Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.

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