North Walsham High School
North Walsham, NR28 9HZ · Norfolk · secondary school
Check the area around this school
27th 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 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 5.5/10 against 691 of them, against 4.1/10 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 | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 35.8 · 27 | 30% | 0.80 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.14 · 60 | 25% | 1.50 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 44.1 · 40 | 10% | 0.40 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
North Walsham High School overview
How it's doing
Ofsted rated the school Good in January 2024. In 2024/25, 42.9% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 45.8, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.14 in 2023/24, indicating better progress than pupils nationally starting from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (7.0 out of 10 against similar schools, 5.3 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 641 pupils against a stated capacity of 950. 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
Since the last inspection was in January 2024, what specific improvements have been made to the curriculum since then? How does the school support pupils in raising their Attainment 8 scores further?
What Ofsted said about North Walsham High School
Overview
North Walsham High School is described as a ‘flourishing school community’ where pupils are ‘proud’ and ‘thrive’. The report highlights that the school has made ‘significant improvements’ since its previous inspection, with leaders and the trust being ‘extremely effective’ in driving this progress. Pupils benefit from a ‘warm and welcoming environment’ and are ‘very well looked after’.
Strengths
- The ‘ambitious curriculum’ is ‘well designed to meet the needs of all pupils’, with teachers explaining new information ‘clearly’ and linking it to prior knowledge.
- Pupils demonstrate ‘high levels of respect’ and ‘behave consistently well’, ensuring a ‘positive and purposeful learning environment’ with ‘very rarely any disruption’.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are ‘well supported’, with the ‘vast majority’ achieving highly based on their starting points.
- Leaders provide ‘high quality’ training matched to staff needs, ensuring teachers can ‘deliver the curriculum effectively’.
- The school offers ‘rich and varied experiences’ for personal development, including popular clubs, trips, and leadership opportunities.
Areas to improve
- In key stage 3, teachers must be ‘sufficiently precise in identifying what pupils know or can do’ to ensure they do not move on before understanding is secured.
- Staff need to consistently provide activities ‘matched precisely to pupils’ starting points’ to allow all pupils opportunities to ‘deepen and extend their understanding’.
Safeguarding
The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 48.4 |
| 2024/25 | 45.8 |
| 2025/26 | 44.1 |
| 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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