Alderman Peel High School

About Alderman Peel High School

Alderman Peel High School is a secondary school in North Norfolk that parents clearly want to get into. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 188 applications for just 109 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.72. Of those, 130 families put it down as their first preference, and all 109 places went to first-preference applicants. That level of demand suggests a school that local families trust and actively choose. The school is a mixed, non-denominational state secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It currently has 604 pupils on roll, which is above its official capacity of 525, so it’s clearly a popular choice in the area. The headteacher is Matthew Hardman, and the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2022, rated it Good overall, with a standout Outstanding grade for personal development.

Academically, the picture is more mixed. Alderman Peel’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.31, which is below the Norfolk local authority average of -0.02 and places the school in the bottom 50 nationally. Within North Norfolk, it ranks 7th out of 7 schools on this measure. The Attainment 8 score was 42, and 60.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though that drops to 42.9% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score was 3.59, with only 22.7% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. Ofsted’s breakdown noted that quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management are all Good, while personal development was judged Outstanding. The school’s previous inspection in 2012 also rated it Good, so it has maintained that standard over time.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including science labs, a sports hall, theatre, astro turf, swimming pool, and art studios. Sports on offer include football, rugby, hockey, cricket, and swimming, while clubs cover drama, choir, coding, and debate. SEND provision is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 25% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. It’s a good fit for families in North Norfolk who want a well-subscribed local secondary with strong pastoral and personal development provision, but who are realistic about academic outcomes that sit below the local average. The lack of a sixth form means pupils will need to plan for post-16 options elsewhere.

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