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City Academy Norwich

Norwich, NR4 7LPSecondaryAges 11–19MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
Jun 2024
Progress 8
-0.75
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
115 1st-choice / 132 places
Ranking
#2,895
of 3,141 nationally

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.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 19 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
Address299 Bluebell Road, Norwich, Norwich, NR4 7LP
HeadteacherJo Franklin
Local AuthorityNorfolk
Number of Pupils682
Free School Meals (FSM)53.2%
School Capacity682 / 1,100 (62% full)
Sixth FormYes

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

18 Jun 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal Development
Requires improvement
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 8 Jul 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
TheatrePlaying FieldsICT SuiteGymnasiumLibraryMusic RoomsDining HallSwimming PoolChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

18

Sports

Cross CountryAthleticsCricketHockeyBasketballDanceTennisBadminton

Clubs & Activities

CodingDebateDramaModel United NationsArt ClubChoirYoung EnterpriseEco ClubOrchestraDuke of Edinburgh

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About City Academy Norwich

City Academy Norwich has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.