Academy sponsor led · Norfolk

Sprowston Community Academy

11–18Ages
1,702Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
144359URN

Cannerby Lane, Sprowston, Norwich, NR7 8NE

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected May 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

close to Norfolk median (1.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Norfolk

440 applications for 277 places · 28th of 51 in Norfolk

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

45.8of 90

Norfolk 44.6 England 46.0

22nd of 53 in Norfolk

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 6 May 2026Published 30 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching		Expected standard
Achievement		Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years	Does not apply to this school
Post-16 provision		Expected standard
Leadership and governance		Expected standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

6 May 2026
Report card · 7 Expected standard
24 May 2022
Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.6applications per place, Year 7

close to Norfolk median (1.6) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

440 applications · 277 places offered · 261 named it first

2026 1.6; Norfolk median median 1.6
2025 1.6; Norfolk median median 1.7
2024 1.4; Norfolk median median 1.4
2023 1.5; Norfolk median median 1.4
2022 1.4; Norfolk median median 1.4
2021 1.5; Norfolk median median 1.4
2020 1.5; Norfolk median median 1.5
2019 1.4; Norfolk median median 1.5
2018 1.4; Norfolk median median 1.4
2017 1.4; Norfolk median median 1.3; as the previous school
2016 1.3; Norfolk median median 1.4; as the previous school
2015 1.5; Norfolk median median 1.4; as the previous school
2014 1.5; Norfolk median median 1.4; as the previous school

This school
Norfolk median

Dashed bars: as Sprowston Community High School (URN 121162), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	277	440	1.6	261	0.94
Sep 2025	301	493	1.6	271	0.90
Sep 2024	315	453	1.4	304	0.97
Sep 2023	319	469	1.5	301	0.94
Sep 2022	325	456	1.4	303	0.93
Sep 2021	286	434	1.5	274	0.96
Sep 2020	313	474	1.5	292	0.93
Sep 2019	273	368	1.4	232	0.85
Sep 2018	264	357	1.4	207	0.78
Sep 2017 *	218	307	1.4	187	0.86
Sep 2016 *	193	244	1.3	158	0.82
Sep 2015 *	201	293	1.5	171	0.85
Sep 2014 *	189	275	1.5	180	0.95

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

277 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)45.822nd of 53 in Norfolk

Norfolk 44.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths53%12th of 53 in Norfolk

Norfolk 40% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths70%

Norfolk 63% England 66%

This school
Norfolk median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.39

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	277	45.8	53%	70%	–
2024/25	310	45.0	45%	66%	–
2023/24	265	41.7	37%	57%	−0.39
2022/23	260	41.8	35%	58%	−0.32

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Sprowston Community AcademyThis school
This school

2026

1.6applications per place 45.8Attainment 8
The Open Academy
0.8 km · Norfolk

Good2023

2.6applications per place 33.1Attainment 8
Sewell Park Academy
1.9 km · Norfolk

2026

2.0applications per place 37.6Attainment 8
Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form
2.7 km · Norfolk

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 47.9Attainment 8
Jane Austen College
3.0 km · Norfolk

Outstanding2024

2.8applications per place 52.2Attainment 8
Notre Dame High School, Norwich
3.7 km · Norfolk

Good2024

2.8applications per place 57.0Attainment 8
Hellesdon High School
4.7 km · Norfolk

Requires improvement2023

1.6applications per place 42.0Attainment 8
Hewett Academy
4.9 km · Norfolk

Good2023

2.8applications per place 46.1Attainment 8
City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy
5.5 km · Norfolk

2026

2.1applications per place 49.2Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 144359 · 926/4028
Trust: Broad Horizons Education Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,767 pupils · 1,702 on roll
Free school meals: 22.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 February 2018
Replaced: Sprowston Community High School (URN 121162)
Address: Cannerby Lane, Sprowston, Norwich, NR7 8NE
Local authority: Norfolk · Broadland

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources