School profile

The Nicholas Hamond Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Swaffham, PE37 7DZ

Requires improvement

Map showing The Nicholas Hamond Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,053 of 3,312

Worse than 61% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

The Nicholas Hamond Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 17 Mar 2026

Area360 rating
Requires improvement
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 16
Pupils710
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Mark Woodhouse
TrustACADEMY TRANSFORMATION TRUST
Local authorityNorfolk
Opened01 Nov 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 138918.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolNorfolkEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.43.7, worse than England, similar to Norfolk44.546.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.62.3%, similar to England, similar to Norfolk63.4%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.37.7%, worse than England, worse than Norfolk43%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.5.7%, worse than England, worse than Norfolk10%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths58.2%, similar to England, similar to Norfolk58%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4122--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis school
Average A-level gradez
Average grade, best three A-levelsz
A-level progressz
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study1
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.z

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils710
Girls360
Boys350
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.28.9%
First language not English7.7%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,040
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.31.7%
Sixth form places2023/24166
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.108
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.36
Average class size25.4

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
90%
Other ethnic group
2.8%
Other White
2.3%
Indian
0.8%
Chinese
0.8%
Gypsy/Roma
0.4%
African
0.4%
White and Asian
0.3%
Other mixed
0.3%
White and Black Caribbean
0.1%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher17.6
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13
Teachers (FTE)40.4
Teaching assistants (FTE)8.64
Support staff (FTE)28.6
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2538
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2534.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/251
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252.8

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.154
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.185
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.154
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.152
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolNorfolkEngland
Overall absence9.3%, worse than England, worse than Norfolk8.7%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.25%, worse than England, worse than Norfolk22.6%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.6.2%, worse than England, worse than Norfolk4.4%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate30.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions9.7%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.85%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.78.6%
Further education65.7%
School sixth form12.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.12.1%
Employment4.3%
Apprenticeship2.1%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near The Nicholas Hamond Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimarySwaffham CofE Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.4 miPrimaryHeartwood CofE VC Primary & Nursery SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.7 miPrimarySwaffham Meadow Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Inadequate
1.2 miNot applicableOneSchool Global UK - Swaffham CampusOther independent school
Unrated

Frequently asked questions about The Nicholas Hamond Academy

What is The Nicholas Hamond Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Nicholas Hamond Academy is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 17 Mar 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Nicholas Hamond Academy rank in England?

The Nicholas Hamond Academy ranks 2,053 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 61% of schools).

What are The Nicholas Hamond Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 37.7% of pupils at The Nicholas Hamond Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 43.7 (England 46.2).

What are The Nicholas Hamond Academy's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The Nicholas Hamond Academy was z.

How hard is it to get into The Nicholas Hamond Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Nicholas Hamond Academy made 154 offers from 185 applications (1.2 per offer), and 152 of 154 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Nicholas Hamond Academy?

The Nicholas Hamond Academy has 710 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of The Nicholas Hamond Academy?

The Nicholas Hamond Academy had 1,040 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Nicholas Hamond Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, The Nicholas Hamond Academy has a sixth form with 166 places in 2023/24.

How big are classes at The Nicholas Hamond Academy?

At The Nicholas Hamond Academy, the average class had 25.4 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.6 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Nicholas Hamond Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Nicholas Hamond Academy missed 9.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 25% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.