The Nicholas Hamond Academy, Swaffham
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
The Nicholas Hamond Academy excels at creating a safe, welcoming environment where all pupils feel valued and supported. The school is particularly strong at including and helping disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs to thrive, with excellent pastoral care and mental health support. Pupils benefit from a wide range of enriching activities, especially in sport and drama, with the school going the extra mile to ensure all pupils can participate.
Key Strengths
- Effective systems for attendance and behaviour with calm, purposeful classrooms and strong staff-pupil relationships
- Excellent inclusion and support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, helping them thrive and access the curriculum
- Comprehensive personal development programme with strong offerings in sport, drama, and activities like Duke of Edinburgh's Award
- Improved identification and early intervention for reading gaps, particularly in early stages of reading
- Positive school culture where pupils feel safe, happy and valued with clear lived values
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils' achievement in national assessments is low due to inconsistencies in curriculum delivery and teaching quality
- Teaching is inconsistent - teachers do not always check understanding carefully enough before moving pupils forward
- Many pupils have significant gaps in writing, spelling, punctuation and handwriting that are not being thoroughly addressed
- Staff confidence in applying new curriculum and teaching strategies is variable
- Pupils lack key knowledge needed to progress through curriculum and are not as ready for next steps as they should be
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have created an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Sport, drama, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, form representatives, curriculum days, air force base activities
The Nicholas Hamond Academy is a school that has stabilised after post-pandemic disruption and shows strong commitment to inclusion, behaviour, and pupil wellbeing, though achievement remains below where it needs to be.
At a Glance
28.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
22.2
Avg class size
27
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
85%
Available places
710 pupils
840 capacity
130 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Swaffham
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Swaffham
Admissions Demand - Norfolk
Places available
9,550
Applications
8,636
Got 1st preference
93.3%
Got preferred school
98.2%
Secondary admissions across Norfolk (2025/26)
Inspection History(104)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.23454%
Overall absence
23.76934%
Persistent absence
711
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Nicholas Hamond Academy
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