Ofsted: Good

Fred Nicholson School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Jane Hayman

location_onSwaffham, PE37 7BB

language Visit Website phone 1362693915

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2014

groups

Students

173

cake

Age Range

3-19

summarize

Fred Nicholson School is a Foundation special school school in Swaffham, serving ages 3-19. Rated Good by Ofsted.

article

School Summary

Fred Nicholson School is a foundation special school in Swaffham, Norfolk, admitting pupils aged 3-19. The school has approximately 197 pupils on roll, of whom 57% are eligible for free school meals.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2014. The school's current overall rating is Good.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 11.7:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.3 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2024

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2023

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2022

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-1.55

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

0.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0

2018

Progress 8 Score

-1.46

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

0.6

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0

explore

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

89%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)89%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

88%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)88%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)12%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

84%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)84%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)12%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)95%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

100%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)100%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)0%

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 53%

Reading0% LA 69%

Writing0% LA 63%

Maths0% LA 66%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 49%England 61%

Reading0% LA 69% · Eng 74%

Writing0% LA 59% · Eng 72%

Maths0% LA 64% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 49%England 60%

Reading0% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Writing0% LA 61% · Eng 71%

Maths0% LA 63% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-11.1

Read

LA -0.8

-14.8 to -7.4

-9.0

Write

LA -1.7

-12.6 to -5.4

-8.1

Maths

LA -1.5

-11.6 to -4.6

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 58%England 65%

Reading0% LA 68% · Eng 73%

Writing0% LA 73% · Eng 78%

Maths0% LA 71% · Eng 79%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-13.3

Read

LA -0.9

-18.2 to -8.3

-12.5

Write

LA -1.1

-17.1 to -8.0

-14.7

Maths

LA -1.5

-19.0 to -10.4

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 57%

Reading0% LA 70%

Writing0% LA 73%

Maths0% LA 68%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

LA -0.8

-9.6

Write

LA -0.9

-14.2 to -5

-13.9

Maths

LA -1.3

-18.2 to -9.6

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

No digital report timeline available.

Inspection History

2 Evaluations

2014-12-10

S5 Inspection EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2012-07-04

None EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.0%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.0%(0 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 197 pupils. During this period, there were 0 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.0%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	197	0	0.0%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	196	1	0.5%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	192	0	0.0%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	191	4	2.1%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	191	10	5.2%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	174	1	0.6%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	173	3	1.7%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	173	5	2.9%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	174	0	0.0%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	174	0	0.0%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	174	4	2.3%	4.4%	1
2020/21 (Summer term)	162	2	1.2%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	162	0	0.0%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	161	1	0.6%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	153	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	153	0	0.0%	3.2%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	151	0	0.0%	4.2%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	144	0	0.0%	3.1%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	142	0	0.0%	3.8%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	142	1	0.7%	3.8%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	142	0	0.0%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	142	0	0.0%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	141	3	2.1%	3.7%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	134	0	0.0%	3.0%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	135	0	0.0%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	135	0	0.0%	3.1%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

accessibility_new

psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 53 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 49 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 45 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 18 pupils

Physical Disability 16 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 11 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Profound & Multiple Learning 2 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 1 pupils

Fred Nicholson School

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Funding & Staffing

Staffing

Teacher Turnover