Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #44 in Norfolk public Top 35% UK

Hellesdon High School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Tom Rolfe

corporate_fareTHE WENSUM TRUST

location_onNorwich, NR6 5SB

language Visit Website phone 1603424711

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2023

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Students

1,577

trending_up

Attainment 8

40.3

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GCSE Rank

#42 in Norfolk

#2,500 of 3,216 nationally

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Hellesdon High School is a Academy converter secondary school in Norwich, serving ages 11-18. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards.

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School Summary

Hellesdon High School is an academy converter in Norwich, Norfolk, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of THE WENSUM TRUST. The school has approximately 1,523 pupils on roll, of whom 26% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 40.3, placing the school #42 in Norfolk and #2,500 of 3,216 nationally. 31.70% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 9.3% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 23 A-level subjects. 42.3% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 16.7% at A*–A. A-level value added: +0.17 — students made above-average progress at sixth form.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 19.8:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 3 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 10.6 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

40.3

Grade 5+ E&M

31.70%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)9.3%

Entering EBacc27.60%

EBacc APS3.49

2024

Progress 8 Score

-0.49

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

39.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc51.60%

EBacc APS3.59

2023

Progress 8 Score

-0.36

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

40.3

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc53%

EBacc APS3.60

2022

Progress 8 Score

-0.64

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

42.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc50%

EBacc APS3.92

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc54%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

0.08

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

47.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc23%

EBacc APS4.07

2018

Progress 8 Score

0.22

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

46.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc16%

EBacc APS3.89

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

92%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)80%

Apprenticeships7%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)82%

Apprenticeships6%

Employment6%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)6%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

91%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)80%

Apprenticeships4%

Employment7%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)8%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

93%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)90%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment1%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)86%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment5%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

A-Level Value Added

+0.17

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make above-average progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*3.7%

Achieving A*–A16.7%

Achieving A*–B42.3%

VA Banding Above average

Retention rate92.8%

A-level subjects offered23

2024

A-Level Value Added

+0.56

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils do significantly better than expected at A-level.

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Retention rate100.00%

2023

Avg Grade

B-

Students

Retention rate85.40%

2022

Avg Grade

B-

Students

Retention rate95.8%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

03 October 2023

Inspection Report

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21 September 2017

Inspection Report

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21 November 2012

Inspection Report

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10 August 2012

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2023-10-03

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Good

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2017-09-21

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2012-11-21

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2009-11-18

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

9.2%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

3.7%(56 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,523 pupils. During this period, there were 140 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 9.2%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,523	140	9.2%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,539	186	12.1%	7.8%	3
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,569	67	4.3%	7.4%	1
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,581	82	5.2%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,576	137	8.7%	8.2%	1
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,560	196	12.6%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,577	201	12.7%	6.4%	1
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,572	166	10.6%	5.9%	2
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,563	119	7.6%	4.7%	2
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,568	157	10.0%	4.9%	1
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,584	204	12.9%	4.4%	1
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,552	193	12.4%	3.6%	1
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,549	20	1.3%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,554	103	6.6%	3.9%	1
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,572	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,572	76	4.8%	3.2%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,578	89	5.6%	4.2%	2
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,526	40	2.6%	3.1%	2
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,536	56	3.6%	3.8%	1
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,540	51	3.3%	3.8%	1
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,413	26	1.8%	3.4%	1
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,427	18	1.3%	3.0%	1
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,435	24	1.7%	3.7%	2
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,373	13	0.9%	3.0%	2
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,382	22	1.6%	3.3%	3
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,384	27	2.0%	3.1%	1

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 39 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 35 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 17 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 11 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 10 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 5 pupils

Visual Impairment 3 pupils

Physical Disability 3 pupils

Hearing Impairment 2 pupils

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Hellesdon High School

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Secondary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Secondary Schools in Norfolk

Notre Dame High School, Norwich

Hethersett Academy

Wymondham College

Jane Austen College

Wymondham High Academy

Wayland Academy