Ormiston Venture Academy, Gorleston

In its own words: "Venture students : there would be no Ormiston Venture Academy without its students. There is no limit to the amount of opportunities they take to showcase their achievements and strengths.Their involvement in the Guilds, a special feature of Venture is exciting. It broadens their horizons and ensures students’ views are heard and used to lead the school’s development."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Thank you for your interest in Ormiston Venture Academy. As part of the Ormiston Academies Trust family, we are totally committed to raising aspirations and shaping the future of learning for our young people, ensuring they become valuable and active members of the communities in which they live."

In 2026, pupils at Ormiston Venture Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45 in Norfolk and 47 across England.

44% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Norfolk and 47% in England.

That is down from 47.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.51: 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 40.4, against 48.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 19 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Sports Studies and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 250 families put Ormiston Venture Academy as their first choice and 469 named it as one of their preferences, for 168 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 83 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Ormiston Venture Academy are Cliff Park Ormiston Academy (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 36.8); Lynn Grove Academy (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.8); Visiting Teacher Service East at Education Services Centre (3.1 miles); and Great Yarmouth Charter Academy (3.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.8).

Ormiston Venture Academy's 2026 results were higher than all 3 of them.

Ormiston Venture Academy is one of 44 schools run by Ormiston Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41 in 2024/25.

87 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Ormiston Venture Academy (as of September 2025): 87% would recommend the school, 89% say their child is happy there and 73% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (73%).

Of the 167 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 36% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

40.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 6.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 208 pupils (23.4%) received SEN support and 61 (6.9%) 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 Great Yarmouth Rail Station, about 3.1 miles away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Girton Road (adjacent), 320 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Ormiston Venture Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 3rd decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 181 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, Ormiston Venture Academy issued 238 suspensions, 26.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Ormiston Venture Academy are Ormiston Herman Academy (0.2 miles), Peterhouse CofE Primary Academy (0.5 miles), Homefield VC CofE Primary School (0.7 miles) and Ormiston Cliff Park Primary Academy (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.