Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form
97%
Capacity
1,834
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form
Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form is a large state secondary in Broadland, Norfolk, currently operating very close to its capacity of 1,892 pupils with 1,834 on roll. The school serves a community where 15.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly below the national average for secondary schools. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 395 applications for 266 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.48. Of those, 253 families listed it as their first preference, and all 253 received offers. This level of competition suggests the school is a popular choice among local families, particularly given its location in Broadland, where it ranks 2nd out of 7 schools in the local authority area by Progress 8 score. The school is mixed, non-denominational, and caters for pupils aged 11 to 18, with a dedicated sixth form centre on site.
Academically, Thorpe St Andrew delivers solid results that sit above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.14 is well above the Norfolk local authority average of -0.02, meaning pupils here make more progress than their peers across the county. The Attainment 8 score stands at 49.4, and 71.8% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the school's value-added score of 0.19 is rated 'Above average', with pupils averaging a C+ grade per entry and 32.92 points per entry. The most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2025 saw the school jump from a 'Requires improvement' rating in 2022 to 'Good' across all five graded categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. The sixth form provision was also rated Good. Nationally, the school sits in the 39th percentile for Progress 8, placing it in the top half of schools across England.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, music rooms, art studios, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision is extensive, with options from badminton and cricket to martial arts and gymnastics, while clubs include Eco Club, Debate, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. SEND support is comprehensive, covering 11 categories from dyslexia to autistic spectrum disorder and multi-sensory impairment. Parent views from a recent survey show 70% would recommend the school, with strong agreement that the school has high expectations (78% agree or strongly agree) and offers a good range of subjects (92% agree or strongly agree). However, only 53% of parents felt concerns were dealt with properly, and 45% disagreed that SEND children receive the support they need. This is a large, oversubscribed school that suits families prioritising strong academic progress and a broad extracurricular offer, particularly those with children aiming for sixth form study.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Laundry Lane, Norwich, Broadland, NR7 0XS |
| Headteacher | Penny Bignell |
| Local Authority | Norfolk |
| Number of Pupils | 1,834 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 15.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,834 / 1,892 (97% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
29 Apr 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 15 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.14)
1230th of 3,141
Nationally
133rd of 350
In East of England
2nd of 7
In Broadland
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
40.4
'22/23
37.4
'23/24
32.9
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2362%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 292 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)62%
- FE college28%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained3%
- Apprenticeship2%
97% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2352%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 205 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
15%
Russell Group
17%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)52%
- Employment31%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Not sustained5%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology37
- Biology33
- Geography24
- History22
- Mathematics20
- Chemistry19
- Government and Politics17
- Sociology17
- Environmental Science16
- Business Studies:Single15
- Media/Film/Tv Studies15
- Computer Studies / Computing13
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
446 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed266
395
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
253 families put this school as their 1st choice (64% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British74.2%
- White (other)9.5%
- Mixed8.5%
- Asian3.3%
- Black0.6%
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.
Half 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.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
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 Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form
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
Laundry Lane, Norwich
Broadland, NR7 0XS
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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