Fakenham Academy, Fakenham

From the headteacher's welcome: "Drawing on the support of our partner schools within Sapientia Education Trust, our key drive is to continuously improve educational outcomes for all our students."

Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 11 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Fakenham Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45 in Norfolk and 47 across England.

28% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Norfolk and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 40.9.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.12: pupils made 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 36.8, against 43 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 134 families put Fakenham Academy as their first choice and 164 named it as one of their preferences, for 135 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

Fakenham Academy 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.

87 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Fakenham Academy (as of September 2025): 79% would recommend the school, 86% say their child is happy there and 42% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (42%).

Of the 135 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 47% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 8% into work.

Of the 50 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 38% went on to university or other higher education, 14% to apprenticeships and 28% into work. 4% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

5.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Fakenham Academy.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High School (adjacent), 140 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 65 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Norfolk (28), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Fakenham Academy issued 98 suspensions, 13.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to Fakenham Academy are Fakenham Junior School (0.7 miles), Fakenham Infant and Nursery School (1 mile) and Sculthorpe Church of England Primary Academy (1.1 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.