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The Nicholas Hamond Academy

Brandon Road, Swaffham, Norfolk, PE37 7DZ ·

Report card: areas need attention· 2026
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At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 11–16 in Swaffham. Ofsted report card (March 2026): areas need attention. GCSE results are below the England average (Attainment 8: 38.4 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 154 families put it first for 154 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages
11–16
Pupils
710
Gender
Mixed
Sixth form
No
Admissions
Non-selective
Local authority
Norfolk
Academy trust
ACADEMY TRANSFORMATION TRUST
Headteacher
Mr Mark Woodhouse
Opened
Nov 2012

Inspection

Ofsted report card (renewed framework)

Read reports
Inspected 17 Mar 2026Published 16 Jun 2026
  • SafeguardingMet
  • InclusionExpected standard
  • Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
  • AchievementNeeds attention
  • Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
  • Personal development and well-beingExpected standard
  • Leadership and governanceExpected standard

Report cards grade each area separately on a five-point scale, from Urgent improvement to Exceptional. There is no single overall grade, and results are not directly comparable with earlier grades such as “Good”.

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 110 pupils

Attainment 8
38.4
England 46.1
Grade 5+ Eng & maths
29.1%
England 45.4%
Grade 4+ Eng & maths
51.8%
England 64.8%
Progress 8
-0.55
2023/24 · CI -0.79 to -0.3
This school
38.4
Norfolk
45.2
England
46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

Search for your address on the map to see straight-line distances to schools.

Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made
154
1st preferences
154
All applications
185
1st prefs per place
1.00
Fewer first choices than places

152 of 154 first-preference applicants were offered a place (99%).

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils
683
Capacity
840
85% full
Girls / boys
51/49
Mixed
  • Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)30.9%
  • English as an additional language8.8%
  • SEN support16.3%
  • Education, Health and Care plan2.9%
  • The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.
The Nicholas Hamond Academy, Swaffham · SchoolPatch