School profile

Fakenham Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Fakenham, NR21 9QT

Good

Map showing Fakenham Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,450 of 3,312

Worse than 73% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,086 of 2,536

Worse than 82% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Fakenham Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 11 Jun 2015

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 18
Pupils723
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Gavin Green
TrustSAPIENTIA EDUCATION TRUST
Local authorityNorfolk
Opened01 Oct 2013
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 139572.

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.41.4, worse than England, worse than Norfolk44.546.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.55.1%, worse than England, worse than Norfolk63.4%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.27.9%, worse than England, worse than Norfolk43%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.5.9%, worse than England, worse than Norfolk10%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths47.1%, worse than England, worse than Norfolk58%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4136--

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 schoolNorfolkEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.27.53, worse than England, worse than Norfolk33.6535
Average A-level gradeC---
Average points, best three A-levels27.74, worse than England, worse than Norfolk34.3235.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC---
AAB or better12.9%, worse than England, similar to Norfolk14.8%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.23, better than England--
A-level progressAbove average, better than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study56--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist--

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 pupils723
Girls392
Boys331
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.23.1%
First language not English5.4%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.950
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.23.9%
Sixth form places2024/25200
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.124
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.30
Average class size21.7

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
91.8%
Other White
3.2%
White and Asian
1.4%
Indian
1.1%
African
0.6%
Chinese
0.4%
Irish
0.3%
Other mixed
0.3%
White and Black Caribbean
0.1%
White and Black African
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 teacher19.2
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13.4
Teachers (FTE)37.58
Teaching assistants (FTE)8.8
Support staff (FTE)22.03
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2543.4
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2531.3
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/252.5
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/259.6

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.135
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.164
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.134
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.134
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 absence7.7%, similar to England, better than Norfolk8.7%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.22.8%, similar to England, similar to Norfolk22.6%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.4%, better than England, better 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 rate13.2%
Pupils with one or more suspensions5.4%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

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.93.3%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.81.5%
Further education47.4%
School sixth form34.1%
Employment8.1%
Apprenticeship3.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.7%
Sixth form college0%

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

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.82%
Higher education38%
Employment28%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.18%
Apprenticeship14%
Further education2%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 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 Fakenham Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.7 miPrimaryFakenham Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miPrimaryFakenham Infant and Nursery SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miPrimarySculthorpe Church of England Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Fakenham Academy

What is Fakenham Academy's Ofsted rating?

Fakenham Academy is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 11 Jun 2015.

How does Fakenham Academy rank in England?

Fakenham Academy ranks 2,450 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 73% of schools) and 2,086 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 82% of schools).

What are Fakenham Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 27.9% of pupils at Fakenham Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 41.4 (England 46.2).

What are Fakenham Academy's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Fakenham Academy was C-, and 12.9% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Fakenham Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Fakenham Academy made 135 offers from 164 applications (1.2 per offer), and 134 of 134 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Fakenham Academy?

Fakenham Academy has 723 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Fakenham Academy?

Fakenham Academy had 950 school places in 2024/25.

Does Fakenham Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, Fakenham Academy has a sixth form with 200 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Fakenham Academy?

At Fakenham Academy, the average class had 21.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 19.2 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Fakenham Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Fakenham Academy missed 7.7% of sessions (England 8%), and 22.8% 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.