Ormiston Venture Academy
Gorleston, NR31 7JJ · Norfolk · secondary school
Check the area around this school
13th 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 — 8.1/10 against 508 of them, against 6.2/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 44.2 · 48 | 46% | 2.20 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.51 · 84 | 38% | 3.24 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 45.7 · 48 | 15% | 0.74 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Ormiston Venture Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 44.6% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared to a national figure of 44.6%. Attainment 8 was 47.3, against a national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.51 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (8.5 out of 10 against similar schools, 6.5 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils join College Clash, Games room, and Guilds. Sports include football, netball, rugby, athletics, softball, rounders, tennis, and trampolining. Musical shows are staged, and trips visit Norwich Castle, Italy, Cambridge, Netball World Camp, Bletchley Park, Tollhouse Museum, Theatre Royal – Norwich, and NCFC – Carrow Road.
Getting in
The published school roll is 889 pupils against a stated capacity of 900. 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 maintain the progress seen in the 2023/24 data? What specific support is available for students aiming to exceed the national median in Attainment
What Ofsted said about Ormiston Venture Academy
Overview
The report describes a school where pupils “do excellently” and benefit from “the highest expectations of what they can achieve.” Leaders have “sustained their vision for outstanding education over time,” resulting in “highly positive experiences and outcomes for pupils” across all key judgement areas.
Strengths
- The curriculum is “meticulously designed,” with teachers who “explain and model this expertly” to help pupils build “rich knowledge over time.”
- Behaviour is “superb,” characterised by a “palpable sense of purpose” and pupils who “treat peers and adults with respect.”
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) “learn as well as their peers, and often better,” supported by staff who adapt learning with “considerable skill and detail.”
- Disadvantaged pupils “thrive in an aspirational and affirming pastoral ethos,” accessing a “huge range of wider opportunities” such as trips abroad.
- Personal development is “exceptionally well designed,” enabling pupils to make “rich connections” and articulate learning with “notable maturity.”
Areas to improve
- The report identifies no significant areas for improvement.
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 | 47.6 |
| 2024/25 | 47.3 |
| 2025/26 | 45.7 |
| 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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