Hellesdon High School
Norwich, NR6 5SB · Norfolk · secondary school
Check the area around this school
49th of 53 secondary schools in Norfolk we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 871 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 2.0/10 among them, against 2.5/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 5 | 35% | 0.19 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 37.1 · 30 | 30% | 0.91 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.49 · 16 | 25% | 0.41 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 42.0 · 29 | 10% | 0.29 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Hellesdon High School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 31.7% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 40.3, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.49 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally starting from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.0 out of 10 among them, against 1.9 out of 10 nationally. Ofsted rated the school Requires improvement in 2023-11.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,476 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,290. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to improve their Progress 8 scores, which are below the national benchmark? What specific actions are being taken to address the Requires improvement rating from the 2023-11 inspection?
What Ofsted said about Hellesdon High School
Overview
The inspection found that the quality of education is good, with an ambitious curriculum that builds on prior learning and strong support for pupils with special educational needs. However, overall effectiveness requires improvement due to inconsistent behaviour and attendance, which disrupt learning for some pupils.
Strengths
- Teachers deliver new information clearly and check understanding effectively, ensuring knowledge develops over time.
- The sixth form provides a high-quality, welcoming environment where students achieve highly and receive valuable guidance.
- Pupils feel safe, knowing they have trusted adults to talk to, and display high levels of respect for people of other races and religions.
- Leaders work closely with external advisors to identify strengths and areas for development, acting in the best interests of pupils.
Areas to improve
- Leaders must ensure a calm and orderly environment across all lessons, addressing disruption and poor attendance that cause some pupils to miss learning.
- Staff need to push pupils towards their next steps more quickly in lessons outside the sixth form to prevent capable students from waiting for others.
- The school must establish effective systems to support weaker readers, as a minority of pupils lack the fluency needed to access learning confidently.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 39.5 |
| 2024/25 | 40.3 |
| 2025/26 | 42.0 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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