Ofsted: Good trending_up Popular emoji_events #34 in Norfolk public Top 27% UK

Downham Market Academy

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

personMr Mark Eastwood

corporate_fareEASTERN LEARNING ALLIANCE

location_onDownham Market, PE38 9LL

language Visit Website phone 1366389100

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2022

groups

Students

1,209

trending_up

Attainment 8

43.8

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GCSE Rank

#34 in Norfolk

#1,965 of 3,216 nationally

summarize

Downham Market Academy is a Academy sponsor led secondary school in Downham Market, serving ages 11-18. Rated Good by Ofsted. Demand is above capacity (1.2×) — apply through your local authority on time.

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School Summary

Downham Market Academy is an academy sponsor led in Downham Market, Norfolk, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of EASTERN LEARNING ALLIANCE. The school has approximately 1,333 pupils on roll, of whom 27% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 43.8, placing the school #34 in Norfolk and #1,965 of 3,216 nationally. 35.30% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 12.8% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 18 A-level subjects. 42.3% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 15.5% at A*–A. A-level value added: 0.09 — sixth-form progress was broadly average.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2022. The school's current overall rating is Good. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.2× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 16.4:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 3 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 5.8 per 1,000 pupils per term.

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

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

43.8

Grade 5+ E&M

35.30%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)12.8%

Entering EBacc23.90%

EBacc APS3.87

2024

Progress 8 Score

-0.06

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

43.3

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc43.10%

EBacc APS3.9

2023

Progress 8 Score

-0.23

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

40.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc38%

EBacc APS3.56

2022

Progress 8 Score

-0.13

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

46.9

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc26%

EBacc APS3.86

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc7%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.15

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

43.9

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc44%

EBacc APS3.81

2018

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

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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

90%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)78%

Apprenticeships6%

Employment6%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)6%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)81%

Apprenticeships4%

Employment8%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)6%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

92%

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

Apprenticeships4%

Employment7%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)89%

Apprenticeships6%

Employment1%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)84%

Apprenticeships6%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)6%

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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

+0.09

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make broadly expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*4.1%

Achieving A*–A15.5%

Achieving A*–B42.3%

VA Banding Average

Retention rate97.1%

A-level subjects offered18

2024

A-Level Value Added

+0.23

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make above-average progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

B-

Students

Retention rate83.80%

2023

Avg Grade

C-

Students

Retention rate100.00%

2022

Avg Grade

Students

Retention rate95.7%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

26 April 2022

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2022-04-26

Academy First Section 5 EIF

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2017-04-26

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Inadequate

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Inadequate

2015-03-19

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

6.1%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

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

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

3.3%(44 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 1,333 pupils. During this period, there were 81 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 6.1%, which is below 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)	1,333	81	6.1%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,340	75	5.6%	7.8%	3
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,269	41	3.2%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,291	40	3.1%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,293	47	3.6%	8.2%	2
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,202	35	2.9%	6.6%	1
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,209	96	7.9%	6.4%	1
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,206	28	2.3%	5.9%	3
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,113	36	3.2%	4.7%	1
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,119	44	3.9%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,122	14	1.2%	4.4%	1
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,046	14	1.3%	3.6%	2
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,050	5	0.5%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,052	90	8.6%	3.9%	2
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,052	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,052	61	5.8%	3.2%	2
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,060	30	2.8%	4.2%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,084	59	5.4%	3.1%	4
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,088	54	5.0%	3.8%	1
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,095	51	4.7%	3.8%	1
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,136	52	4.6%	3.4%	3
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,161	71	6.1%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	0	57	-	3.7%	5

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.

Specific Learning Difficulty 71 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 64 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 40 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 32 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 12 pupils

Physical Disability 6 pupils

Hearing Impairment 5 pupils

Visual Impairment 2 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

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Downham Market Academy

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