City Academy Norwich, Norwich

From the headteacher's welcome: "Here at City Academy Norwich, we are committed to ensuring all students succeed and make the best of the opportunities and experiences available to them. We believe that students engage fully and reach their potential when the environment is caring and orderly, the teaching meaningful and inspirational."

In 2026, pupils at City Academy Norwich averaged an Attainment 8 score of 36.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45 in Norfolk and 47 across England.

25% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Norfolk and 47% in England.

That is up from 35.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.75: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 36.1, against 36.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 0.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 18 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and Hospitality and Catering.

For September 2026 entry, 99 families put City Academy Norwich as their first choice and 187 named it as one of their preferences, for 124 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to City Academy Norwich are City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.2); Jane Austen College (1.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 52.2); Hewett Academy (2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.1); and Visiting Teacher Service Central (2 miles).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than City Academy Norwich.

City Academy Norwich is one of 23 schools run by Sapientia Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.9 in 2024/25.

Of the 142 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 69% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

57% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 25.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (66%) and Mixed (11%).

In 2026, 174 pupils (25.8%) received SEN support and 54 (8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Norwich Rail Station, about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fiveways (s-bound), 50 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 188 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Norfolk (28), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, City Academy Norwich issued 647 suspensions, 94.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 8 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to City Academy Norwich are Bluebell Primary School (0.3 miles), West Earlham Infant and Nursery School (0.4 miles), West Earlham Junior School (0.4 miles) and Henderson Green Primary Academy (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.