The Open Academy Review 2026: Church of England 11 to 19 Academy with a Distinctive Sixth Form

A school can be academically straightforward and still feel distinctive. The Open Academy’s identity comes from three places: a clear Church of England ethos that is explicit about being welcoming to families of all faiths and none, a modern building that was designed with sustainability at its core, and an inclusion model that puts specialist support inside the mainstream day rather than on the margins.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (28 March 2023) judged the school Good overall, with Good grades across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision.

Leadership is currently headed by Principal Mr Dan Bagshaw. The academy’s public pages confirm his role, although they do not state the month and year he took up post.

For families looking at Norwich secondaries, the headline is realism. The school is oversubscribed in the latest available demand snapshot, and outcomes data places it in the lower end of England rankings, so the decision tends to hinge on fit, support, and whether the sixth form offer matches a student’s pathway.

The Open Academy has a defined internal language around expectations. The “Open Way” is framed as “be ready, be respectful and be safe”, and it is used as a practical organising tool for routines, behaviour, and the day-to-day feel of lessons.

There is also a visible emphasis on student voice. Formal observations describe pupils making considered submissions that helped shape uniform and jewellery policy. Student leadership is treated as a programme rather than a title, with structured opportunities across the year, including leadership training and involvement in projects that are intended to have real influence.

The Church of England character is present but not exclusive. The Principal’s welcome explicitly positions the academy as grounded in Christian belief while welcoming students from Christian backgrounds, other faiths, or no faith. For parents, that usually translates into a school where collective worship and values language exist, but where participation is framed through inclusion rather than gatekeeping.

The building itself is part of the academy’s story. The Open Academy opened in September 2008 and moved into new purpose-built accommodation in September 2010. The current building is three storeys and includes classrooms, a theatre, and a sports hall, arranged around an atrium with a glulam tied-arch roof; it is widely referenced as a landmark project for cross-laminated timber construction at school scale.

For families, the practical implication is simple: it is not a cramped site that feels retrofitted. Space planning and shared facilities tend to support calmer movement between lessons, and the atrium becomes a functional social hub for breakfast and arrivals.

This section uses only the school’s FindMySchool outcomes data for rankings and core metrics.

GCSE (Key Stage 4)

Ranked 3,610th in England and 25th in Norwich for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), performance sits below England average overall.

The 2023/24 GCSE metrics show:

• Attainment 8: 34.9

• EBacc average point score: 3.12

• Progress 8: -0.46

For parents comparing local schools, Progress 8 is often the most useful single indicator because it reflects progress across eight subjects from prior attainment rather than raw grades alone. A score of -0.46 points to below-average progress compared with other schools nationally, which tends to mean that students who are already on track at the end of primary need consistent support and strong attendance to convert potential into grades.

EBacc outcomes also matter in Norwich because they influence the balance of language and humanities entries. An EBacc APS of 3.12 suggests that the academic core is an area to scrutinise closely, especially for students who thrive in traditional exam-heavy pathways.

A sensible way to use FindMySchool’s Local Hub is to compare Open Academy’s Progress 8 and EBacc indicators against nearby secondaries you are also considering, then use open events and department information to judge whether the curriculum and teaching approach match your child’s profile.

Sixth Form (A-levels)

Ranked 2,543rd in England and 16th in Norwich for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), results sit in the lower end of the England distribution for A-level performance.

The dataset shows the following A-level grade distribution:

• A*: 0%

• A: 1.89%

• B: 7.55%

• A* to B combined: 9.43%

Those figures point to a sixth form that needs to be understood in context. It is explicitly described as small, and students are said to choose it for the community feel and for a specialist football academy route. The implication is that the sixth form’s value may be strongest for students who need a supportive post-16 environment, who benefit from structure and close monitoring, or whose pathway includes vocational or blended programmes rather than a high-volume A-level-only model.

If your child is aiming for a highly competitive university route, the key question is not whether support exists (the academy’s careers documentation references support for Russell Group and Oxbridge applicants), but whether recent subject-level outcomes and teaching capacity in the specific A-level subjects align with that ambition.

The curriculum is described as carefully sequenced, with concepts building directly on what has come before. A concrete example in the most recent inspection narrative is the rewriting of a Russia unit to reflect changes in the wider world, which signals active curriculum maintenance rather than a static scheme of work.

For students with additional needs, the academy’s teaching model is designed around adaptation inside mainstream classrooms, supported by staff training and clear information-sharing about what individual students need. This is not framed as a bolt-on. The inspection narrative sets out a picture of teachers making careful adaptations, with pupils’ views considered as part of what works best for them.

SEND support is organised around an Open Learning Centre that is intended to be a calm, central base for vulnerable learners accessing additional help, with the SENCo named publicly. That matters because, at secondary level, the practical difference between “support exists” and “support is usable” often comes down to where it sits in the building, how easily students can access it between lessons, and whether it is integrated into routines without stigma.

Reading support is also described as targeted, with extra teaching for students who need to catch up and explicit scaffolding such as prompts and word lists to support writing. There is also clear emphasis on library use as part of encouraging reading beyond English lessons.

The academy’s destinations story should be read in two layers: post-16 options from Year 11, and post-18 routes from Year 13.

Post-18 progression (sixth form leavers)

The available destinations snapshot for the 2023/24 leaver cohort (43 students) shows:

• 35% progressed to university

• 35% entered employment

• 5% went to further education

• 0% started apprenticeships

The balance between university and employment is meaningful. It suggests a sixth form where a significant proportion of students choose direct work routes after Year 13, alongside those progressing to higher education. For families, this can be a positive if your child values employability, work experience, and a realistic transition plan rather than a single-track university narrative. It also means you should ask detailed questions about careers guidance, employer links, and how the academy supports applications for local FE and training routes.

Formal observations describe leaders as ambitious for students and supporting varied destinations, including placements overseas. That sits well with the idea of a sixth form that prioritises progression options across a range of pathways.

Post-16 progression (after Year 11)

The academy’s own reporting on performance measures includes a Key Stage 4 destinations indicator and frames progression as a priority. For parents, the most useful interpretation is practical: ask how the academy supports students who do not achieve English or maths at grade 4, and what the resit and alternative qualification model looks like alongside post-16 study.

Year 7 entry (Norfolk coordinated admissions)

Year 7 applications are coordinated through the local authority process. Norfolk County Council’s published timetable for September 2026 entry states:

• Applications open 11 September 2025

• Applications close 31 October 2025

• National offer day 02 March 2026

• Appeals closing date 27 March 2026

• Waiting lists maintained until 31 December 2026

The academy is oversubscribed in the latest available demand snapshot, with 240 applications for 100 offers, a ratio of 2.4 applications per offer. This indicates that entry can be competitive even before considering the detail of catchment, feeder schools, and faith-related criteria.

The academy is part of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust (DNEAT), and its admissions policy documentation sets out oversubscription criteria that include catchment, siblings, and a faith-related route for some applicants.

If you are relying on a faith criterion, read the definitions carefully and ensure any supplementary form expectations are met, because missing paperwork is one of the most avoidable reasons families lose priority.

Because last-distance data is not available for this school, families who are distance-sensitive should treat map-based proximity checks as a starting point, then cross-check against current year allocation patterns published by the local authority.

Sixth form entry (internal and external)

The sixth form is open to internal and external applicants, with an interview requirement. The published admissions policy sets the academic baseline for Level 3 study as five grade 4s at GCSE, with some courses requiring a grade 6, and a grade 7 for A-level Mathematics. Students who do not achieve grade 4 in English and/or maths are expected to continue with GCSE or an alternative offered pathway.

Capacity is set out as a maximum admission number of 110 for the sixth form, excluding football academy students. For families, that signals two things: a small cohort that can feel more personal, and the importance of securing subject fit early because staffing in small sixth forms can be more sensitive to option-blocking constraints.

Open events

The academy has previously positioned an Open Evening for Year 6 families in late September, which is a common timing pattern for Norwich secondaries. For current dates and booking expectations, use the academy’s calendar and admissions pages, because open event schedules can shift year to year.

Pastoral strength is often measured by whether routines reduce friction, especially for students who find transitions difficult. The academy’s morning structure, uniform expectations, and consistent consequences are described as well understood by pupils and applied consistently by staff, with behaviour and attendance improving compared with the past.

Safeguarding is described as a strength, with leaders acting swiftly to improve procedures, retraining staff, and following up concerns appropriately, alongside work with external agencies. The inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

SEND support is also part of the wellbeing picture rather than a separate track. The academy describes an Open Learning Centre for vulnerable learners, and a specialist resource model for autistic pupils (see below) that allows students to participate in mainstream lessons while having a safe base for regulation and targeted support.

The breakfast model is worth mentioning in a wellbeing context because it reduces the day-to-day stress that some families face around mornings. The academy offers free breakfast from 8:15am through the National School Breakfast Programme, with provision based in the atrium and playground.

A school’s extracurricular story is only useful if it is specific. The Open Academy is explicit about using enrichment and trips to deepen curriculum experiences, including geography fieldwork at the coast.

Library and student clubs

The library offer is unusually structured for a secondary, with a published timetable that includes:

• LGBTQ+ Club

• Book Club

• Dungeons and Dragons Club (Week A)

• Film Club (Week B)

• Library open after school until 4pm on Mondays

Those details matter because they indicate a school that is trying to give students low-barrier social spaces that are not solely sport-led. For quieter students, or for those who struggle with unstructured time, a dependable lunchtime or after-school base can improve attendance and reduce friction.

Performing arts and cultural experiences

The academy’s communications show an active performing arts culture, including a school production of We Will Rock You and organised theatre visits linked to drama and music students. The implication is not that every student becomes a performer, but that there are routes into creative confidence, team discipline, and public-facing work that complement classroom learning.

Sport and the football pathway

Sport is present both as general provision and as a structured post-16 pathway. The most recent inspection narrative links sixth form choice partly to a specialist football academy course.

In practice, this can be a strong fit for students whose motivation and routine are supported by a clear athletic programme, provided it sits alongside realistic academic and career planning.

The school day is clearly set out. Morning line-ups and tutor check-in run from 8:30am, with the day ending at 3:00pm, organised across five periods with staggered break and lunch arrangements for different year groups.

Breakfast provision starts at 8:15am and is free, which helps families who need an earlier start or who value a settled arrival routine.

For travel, the setting is Sprowston in north Norwich. Many families will rely on a mix of public transport and lift-sharing; if transport eligibility matters, use Norfolk County Council’s transport guidance alongside the admissions criteria, because eligibility can change depending on whether the allocated school is catchment or nearest.

• Outcomes are a key question. FindMySchool’s GCSE and A-level rankings place the school in the lower end of England distributions, and Progress 8 is negative. Families should ask for subject-level trends and what has changed since the 2023 inspection, especially for core subjects.

• Small sixth form, specific fit required. The sixth form is described as small and includes a football academy route. That can suit students who value community and structure, but it is important to confirm the exact subjects running in your child’s option block and how teaching groups are staffed year to year.

• Faith character is real, but inclusive. The Church of England ethos is explicit and woven into values and leadership language. Families who want a fully secular culture may prefer alternatives, while many others will find the approach welcoming rather than restrictive.

• Support is a strength, but ask how it works day to day. The specialist resource base and Open Learning Centre suggest a school trying to make inclusion practical. Families should ask how support is delivered inside mainstream lessons, how staff coordinate adaptations, and how quickly concerns are actioned.

The Open Academy is a large, modern secondary and post-16 provider with a clear values framework, a visible inclusion model, and a sixth form that is designed around community and progression rather than a purely academic pipeline. It suits families who want a structured school day, explicit expectations, and in-school support for SEND or vulnerability, and who are willing to engage closely with subject choices and progress measures. The challenge is ensuring the academic pathway matches your child’s ambitions, because the published outcomes data is modest and the sixth form is small.