Downham Market Academy Review 2026: A Good-rated 11 to 18 academy with a structured school day and an attached sixth form

A timetable built around longer lessons sets a clear rhythm here. Most teaching is delivered in double periods, supported by a daily Personal Development session that anchors routines and relationships at the start of each day.

The academy sits within the Eastern Learning Alliance multi-academy trust and is led by Dr Natalie Paine (listed on the school website and on the government Get Information About Schools service). The latest Ofsted inspection in April 2022 judged the school Good in every area, including sixth form provision.

For families weighing outcomes, the headline is consistency rather than extremes. GCSE performance sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), while the sixth form’s A-level grade profile is slightly stronger than England averages at the top end. (FindMySchool rankings and performance data are based on official datasets.)

The school’s values are stated with unusual clarity: Passion, Progress, Perseverance, and Pride form the backbone of its public-facing ethos. In practice, that reads as an academy that wants students to work hard, but also to be known, guided, and held to consistent expectations. The pastoral model reinforces this: every student has a personal tutor they see every morning, with Heads of Year, Student Welfare Officers, and a Transition Leader forming the next layer of support.

House identity appears to be a meaningful organising feature, rather than a poster on the wall. The published pastoral structure references House competitions and names the year-group houses as Stella, Ignis, Terra, Aqua, and Ventus. That matters because it gives students multiple “small communities” inside a large secondary, which can be particularly helpful at Year 7 transition.

Although the academy’s current form is modern, its site history goes back decades, with the Bexwell site dating to 1956. For parents, the more relevant point is not heritage but capacity: the school’s published capacity is 1,567, which signals a big setting where systems, routines, and communication need to be deliberate to work well at scale.

At GCSE, the academy is ranked 1,972nd in England and 1st in Downham Market for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The Attainment 8 score is 43.3. Progress 8 is -0.06, which indicates outcomes are close to national expectations based on prior attainment, but slightly below the national benchmark. (FindMySchool measures are drawn from official performance data.)

EBacc outcomes suggest a more mixed picture. The EBacc average point score is 3.9, which sits below the England average figure of 4.08.

In the sixth form, the academy is ranked 1,080th in England and 1st in Downham Market for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). The A-level grade profile is as follows: 3.45% A*, 18.39% A, 33.33% B, and 55.17% at A* to B. Compared with England averages the combined A* to A figure (21.84%) is slightly below the England average (23.6%), while the A* to B figure (55.17%) is above the England average (47.2%).

These numbers point to a sixth form where strong outcomes are achievable, particularly for students who take well-matched courses and engage with the study culture early.

The academy’s published model is designed to prioritise depth and continuity. Lessons are structured as 50-minute periods, usually taught as double sessions, and the day begins with Personal Development time. The implication is straightforward: fewer subject transitions in a day, more time to build understanding, and a routine that supports focus, especially for students who find constant switching difficult.

External evidence aligns with that intent. Teaching is described as well planned, with clear sequencing of knowledge into small steps, including for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The same evidence base also points to a strong whole-school emphasis on reading, including targeted support for those who fall behind.

Digital learning is also positioned as a core plank. The academy describes a 1:1 iPad approach intended to support learning both in school and at home. For families, the practical question is how that scheme is funded and managed, and what happens if a device is lost or damaged. Those are sensible points to raise at transition events.

For post-16, the academy operates an attached sixth form provision branded as Athena Sixth Form College, with courses spanning A-levels and vocational routes. The published course list includes subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Further Mathematics, Psychology, Sociology, Law, Economics, and an Extended Project Qualification, alongside vocational and applied pathways such as Health and Social Care and Cambridge Technical sport qualifications.

Entry requirements are set out clearly. For A-level programmes, the stated minimum is five GCSEs at grade 5 or above, including English and Maths. Vocational and applied diplomas have a lower threshold, typically five GCSEs at grade 4 or above including English and Maths.

For families interested in broad destinations, the most recent published leaver destinations dataset indicates that, for the 2023 to 2024 cohort (46 students), 37% progressed to university, 9% to apprenticeships, 4% to further education, and 35% to employment.

Oxbridge numbers are small but present: in the measurement period, three applications resulted in one acceptance. For a comprehensive intake, that suggests the most academically ambitious students can be supported, but that the sixth form’s value is likely broader: credible pathways across university, apprenticeships, and employment, rather than a single “elite pipeline”.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Norfolk County Council as part of the standard transfer to secondary admissions round. For September 2026 entry, the published county timetable lists applications opening on 11 September 2025, closing on 31 October 2025, with national offer day on 2 March 2026.

The academy’s published admission number for Year 7 is 240. If the school is oversubscribed, the admissions policy confirms priority for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, followed by looked-after and previously looked-after children, then the remainder by oversubscription criteria as set out in the policy.

A key point for families looking at September 2026 entry is that catchment arrangements have been under formal review, with a proposal document describing changes intended to take effect from 1 September 2026. This makes it especially important to rely on the latest local authority maps and the school’s determined admission arrangements for the relevant year, rather than assumptions based on previous patterns. Families can use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check their home-to-school position alongside the latest published admissions information.

Open events tend to sit early in the autumn term for Year 7 recruitment. For example, an academy newsletter referenced an Open Evening on 2 October 2025. Dates vary year to year, so use the school’s events calendar for current listings.

Sixth form applications are made through the regional Help You Choose platform, as signposted by the sixth form. A sixth form open evening was listed on that platform on 2 October 2025, including set presentation times. For 2026 entry, expect a similar early autumn pattern, with enrolment steps linked to GCSE results.

The pastoral offer is unusually transparent about roles and responsibilities. Students have daily tutor time, with Heads of Year and Student Welfare Officers assigned across year groups, plus a named SENDCo and a safeguarding leadership structure. This matters because it clarifies who handles what: day-to-day concerns through tutors, year-group issues through Heads of Year, and targeted wellbeing support through welfare staff.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education is embedded in assemblies and weekly themes, with discussion and reflection highlighted as the method rather than one-way delivery. That approach can suit students who benefit from structured conversations about relationships, online safety, and decision-making, rather than ad hoc messages when issues arise.

Ofsted also confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

The extracurricular programme is one of the clearest differentiators here because it goes well beyond generic sport-and-homework clubs. The published clubs list includes a strong creative strand, such as The Music Club (school band), Music Theory Club, and a Year 7 and 8 Singing Club, with additional support for GCSE Music rehearsal. The implication is practical: students who want music to be part of school life have routes whether they are beginners or already preparing for exam courses.

There is also a distinctive “thinking and making” mix. Examples include a Python Adventure Game club for learning to code through a project, a Coding Club, and subject-specific support sessions such as maths circles and targeted maths support. For students who thrive when learning is tied to output, this kind of project framing can make a real difference to confidence.

Other clubs emphasise identity, language, and belonging, including German Club, Culture and EAL Club, and a Friday Club designed around open discussion and community. There is also a practical sustainability element via Green Society, which references an allotment and care of school chickens.

Sport is organised with clarity around timing. The published after-school PE programme indicates activities such as rugby, netball, football (boys and girls), basketball, and tennis, with sessions running after school. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is available from Year 9, giving a recognised framework for volunteering, skills, and expedition work.

For families relying on transport, the academy also publishes late bus options on its clubs information, including routes serving Outwell and Upwell, and Watlington.

The published compulsory day runs from 8:50 to 3:05, with students able to arrive from 8:00 and Personal Development time starting at 8:55. Parents should note that the academy states it does not follow standard Norfolk term dates, so checking the school’s own term-date calendar before booking travel is important.

Transport planning is straightforward in town terms. Downham Market railway station is the main local rail hub, and Norfolk County Council also publishes school bus route and timetable tools for school travel planning.

Parents comparing local options and outcomes can also use the FindMySchool Local Hub Comparison Tool to view GCSE and sixth form performance side-by-side with nearby schools on a consistent dataset.

• Admissions for 2026 entry may look different. Catchment arrangements have been subject to consultation with changes proposed to take effect from 1 September 2026. Families should rely on the determined arrangements for the relevant admissions year and validate their position using the latest local authority information.

• GCSE progress is close to the national benchmark, but slightly below it. A Progress 8 score of -0.06 suggests results broadly match prior attainment, with a small negative difference. For some families this will be acceptable; others may want to ask how the academy targets support for students who are capable but need extra structure to outperform expectations.

• Sixth form enrichment is an area to question in detail. External evidence highlighted that sixth form students previously had limited opportunities to contribute to the wider school community, and leaders were aiming to expand leadership and mentoring roles. Ask what that looks like now in practice.

• Budget for “extras” alongside free education. This is a state school with no tuition fees, but schemes such as 1:1 devices are often sustained through family contributions, and there will be additional costs around uniform, trips, and optional activities.

Downham Market Academy offers a clearly structured day, an explicit values framework, and a pastoral system that makes roles visible to families. GCSE outcomes are broadly typical for England, while the sixth form has a credible academic and vocational mix with entry requirements that are clearly stated. Best suited to families who want a large, organised setting with defined routines, strong enrichment choice, and an on-site post-16 pathway, and who are prepared to stay close to admissions updates for September 2026 entry.