City Academy Norwich
62%
Capacity
682
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About City Academy Norwich
City Academy Norwich is a secondary school in the city that parents are clearly keen on, despite some challenges. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 203 applications for 132 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.54, meaning it was significantly overapplied. Of those applicants, 115 put the school as their first preference, and all 115 were offered a place. This level of demand suggests that local families see something worthwhile here, even if the school’s official rating tells a more complicated story. The school is led by headteacher Jo Franklin and serves 682 pupils, well below its capacity of 1,100. Over half of its students (53.2%) are eligible for free school meals, which is a high proportion and gives some context to the school’s performance data.
Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024 rated its overall effectiveness as Requires Improvement, a step up from its previous Inadequate rating in November 2022. Leadership and management were judged Good, while quality of education, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes all require improvement. The school’s Progress 8 score for 2023/24 was -0.75, which is well below average nationally and ranks it 52nd out of 57 secondary schools in Norfolk. For context, the local authority average Progress 8 score is -0.02. Attainment 8 stood at 32.2, and just 19.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. Only 2.1% entered the EBacc, and the EBacc average point score was 2.74. The sixth form is officially part of the school, though no separate exam data is provided for it.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a theatre, swimming pool, playing fields, music rooms, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include athletics, cricket, hockey, and tennis, while clubs range from coding and debate to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Model UN. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. For families considering City Academy Norwich, the data suggests a school that is in a period of improvement, with strong local demand and a leadership team that has been rated Good. It may particularly suit families who value the breadth of extracurricular activities and the sixth form offer, and who are comfortable with a school that is still working to raise academic outcomes.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | 299 Bluebell Road, Norwich, Norwich, NR4 7LP |
| Headteacher | Jo Franklin |
| Local Authority | Norfolk |
| Number of Pupils | 682 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 53.2% |
| School Capacity | 682 / 1,100 (62% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Jun 2024Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Source: Ofsted, 8 Jul 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.75)
2895th of 3,141
Nationally
329th of 350
In East of England
8th of 8
In Norwich
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/237%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 100 pupils).
- FE college62%
- Not sustained18%
- Employment8%
- School sixth form (stay)7%
- Apprenticeship3%
81% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed132
203
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
115 families put this school as their 1st choice (57% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British66.4%
- Mixed9.7%
- White (other)8.2%
- Asian2.2%
- Black0.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
12
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
10
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About City Academy Norwich
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
299 Bluebell Road, Norwich
Norwich, NR4 7LP
299 Bluebell Road, Norwich
Norwich, NR4 7LP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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