The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School), Harleston
The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) is an all-through school for pupils aged 3 to 16 in Harleston, part of The Diocese of Norwich St Benet's Multi-Academy Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 21st-highest of the 53 schools in Norfolk with published results, and 1,656th of 3,298 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 4 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Norfolk (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Norfolk (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) in detail
The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) in its own words
Coming up: an open day on Monday 2 November 2026 at 9.30am, an open day on Monday 11 January 2027 at 9.30am and an open day on Wednesday 10 March 2027 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Norfolk
Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45 in Norfolk and 47 across England.
40% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Norfolk and 47% in England.
That is up from 42.7 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.04: pupils made about 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 36.6, against 48.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.6 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 19 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.
Getting a place at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)
For September 2026 entry, 28 families put The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) as their first choice and 54 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 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 trust
The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) is one of 19 schools run by The Diocese of Norwich St Benet's Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.
All 19 schools in The Diocese of Norwich St Benet's Multi-Academy Trust
What parents say
161 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) (as of September 2025): 75% would recommend the school, 81% say their child is happy there and 55% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (86%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (55%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 97 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 76% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 33% to a further education college, 9% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.
Who goes there
6.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 119 pupils (14.4%) received SEN support and 69 (8.4%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sancroft Academy (adjacent), 100 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) issued 158 suspensions, 18.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a caring, inclusive community where children thrive academically and personally. Staff know pupils well and provide strong support, helping them feel genuinely safe and valued. The school has worked hard to improve outcomes, particularly for younger pupils, and offers excellent enrichment activities that build confidence and community spirit.
Key Strengths
- Early years provision is outstanding with deep, engaging curriculum and exceptional focus on individual needs
- Strong prioritisation of reading with well-trained staff and high-quality texts throughout the school
- Calm, respectful behaviour across school with clear expectations, strong pastoral care and values-led approach
- Broad curriculum carefully designed to build knowledge from early years through to Year 11
- Pupils benefit from meaningful leadership roles and wide range of enrichment activities
Areas for Improvement
- Writing quality is inconsistent across the curriculum because whole-school writing approach is not consistently applied by all staff
- Teachers do not always check pupils' understanding precisely enough, meaning misconceptions and knowledge gaps are not addressed quickly
- Secondary pupils do not receive comprehensive enough subject-specific careers education guidance
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong systems in place to protect pupils.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports, music, drama, community events, town parades, residential trips, visits abroad, Tots to Teens mentoring programme, well-being ambassadors, diversity crew, junior librarians, Reading Cafés
The Harleston Sancroft Academy is a 3-16 Church of England school that provides a broad and ambitious all-through curriculum where pupils feel happy, safe and cared for by staff. The school has taken effective action to improve achievement, particularly in the primary phase, and has an outstanding early years provision.
At a Glance
23.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
161 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has remained stable at around 0.04 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 43.7 to 45.9 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 29% to 40% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 45.9 | 39.8% |
| Disadvantaged(18) | - | 36.6 | 16.7% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(70) | - | 48.2 | 45.7% |
| Boys(49) | - | 44.5 | 40.8% |
| Girls(39) | - | 47.6 | 38.5% |
Show more breakdowns (1)
| Non mobile(84) | - | 46.4 | 40.5% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 97 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
3
Permanent exclusions
0.36%
Exclusion rate
158
Suspensions
18.88%
Suspension rate
53 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 837 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Keep up with The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) is in Norfolk; for families living there:
Apply to Norfolk for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 10 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Norfolk is 4 (the median across 462 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)
Will you get a place at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School):
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School).
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Norfolk, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) for 2023 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Norfolk got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
90%
Near capacity
825 pupils
920 places
95 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Harleston
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Harleston
Across Norfolk council
Places available
9,559
Applications
8,625
Got 1st preference
94.1%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All secondary applications across Norfolk council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
119
SEN Support
69
EHC Plans
22.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
824
Total Pupils
428
Boys
396
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
52
Teachers
15.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,170
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,015
Per pupil
£5276k
Total funding
£190k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.8%
Overall absence
18.4%
Persistent absence
824
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)
Questions parents ask about The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)
What are GCSE results like at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)?
In the 2026 results, pupils at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) achieved an Attainment 8 score of 45.9. 40% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is the catchment area for The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)?
No fixed boundary. When The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) is oversubscribed, Norfolk allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)?
The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 920 places.
How big are the classes at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)?
Classes at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) average 23.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)?
The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) has around 824 pupils on roll. 24% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)?
6.8% of sessions were missed at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) in 2024/25. 18.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)?
Apply through Norfolk's coordinated admissions process, naming The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 10 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Norfolk is 4 (the median across 462 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)?
The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) is at Wilderness Lane, Harleston, Norfolk, IP20 9DD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)