Notre Dame High School, Norwich, Norwich

From the headteacher's welcome: "We are a high-achieving school with a very special, warm and welcoming ethos, which is recognised by all who visit. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1864, the values and traditions which they established still influence our culture and development to this day."

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 12 November 2026 and an open evening on Thursday 10 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Notre Dame High School, Norwich averaged an Attainment 8 score of 57, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45 in Norfolk and 47 across England.

64% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Norfolk and 47% in England.

That is down from 61.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.6: pupils made well above 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 43.1, against 59.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 265 families put Notre Dame High School, Norwich as their first choice and 564 named it as one of their preferences, for 205 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 66 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Notre Dame High School, Norwich are Jane Austen College (0.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 52.2); Hewett Academy (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.1); Visiting Teacher Service Central (1.1 miles); and City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.2).

Notre Dame High School, Norwich's 2026 results were higher than all 3 of them.

Notre Dame High School, Norwich is one of 11 schools run by St John the Baptist Catholic Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 203 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 95% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 28% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 269 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 56% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 28% into work. 20% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

11.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 25.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (51%), Mixed (11%) and Asian (7%).

In 2026, 131 pupils (8.1%) received SEN support and 50 (3.1%) 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 790 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

33 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Notre Dame School (adjacent), 30 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 759 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Norfolk (28), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Notre Dame High School, Norwich issued 68 suspensions, 4.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Notre Dame High School, Norwich are The Free School Norwich (0.1 miles), Bignold Primary School and Nursery (0.4 miles), Charles Darwin Primary School (0.5 miles) and Lakenham Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.