Thomas Deacon Academy, Peterborough

In its own words: "“To ensure that each student acquires the necessary knowledge, skills and character to make a positive contribution to society and ‘thrive’ as a global citizen.”"

From the headteacher's welcome: "I would like to welcome you to Thomas Deacon Academy. I feel privileged to be Principal of this amazing school. ‘ To ensure that each student acquires the necessary knowledge, skills and character to make a positive contribution to society and ‘thrive’ as a global citizen’."

In 2026, pupils at Thomas Deacon Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.5 in Peterborough and 47 across England.

37% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Peterborough and 47% in England.

That is up from 39.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.02: 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, against 42.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Business Studies and History.

For September 2026 entry, 148 families put Thomas Deacon Academy as their first choice and 445 named it as one of their preferences, for 227 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Thomas Deacon Academy are Greater Peterborough UTC (0.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.7); The King's (The Cathedral) School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 60.9); City of Peterborough Academy (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.2); and St John Fisher Catholic High School (0.7 miles).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Thomas Deacon Academy.

Thomas Deacon Academy is one of 7 schools run by Thomas Deacon Education Trust, an academy trust.

50 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Thomas Deacon Academy (as of September 2025): 54% would recommend the school, 70% say their child is happy there and 36% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (70%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (36%).

Of the 332 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 39% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 170 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 67% went on to university or other higher education, 2% to apprenticeships and 16% into work. 14% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

34.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 42.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (43%), White British (11%) and Mixed (8%).

In 2026, 220 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 48 (2.1%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Peterborough Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Queens Drive (opposite), 220 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Thomas Deacon Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 749 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 Peterborough (275), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Thomas Deacon Academy issued 1057 suspensions, 45.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Thomas Deacon Academy are Queen's Drive Infant School (0.2 miles), All Saints' CofE (Aided) Primary School (0.3 miles), Dogsthorpe Infant School (0.5 miles) and Dogsthorpe Academy (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.