Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form, Norwich

Outstanding
Secondary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~2.5km)Possible (~3.5km)Unlikely (~4.6km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Penny Bignell
Pupils:1,830 / 1,892 capacity
LA:Norfolk
Phone:01603497711
Address:Laundry Lane, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, NR7 0XS
Trust:BROAD HORIZONS EDUCATION TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2016

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Good

Sixth Form

Inspected 29 April 2025View full report
URN:143278
UKPRN:10057638
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Norwich North
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Thorpe St Andrew has created a welcoming environment where pupils feel valued and safe, with warm relationships between staff and students. The school combines ambitious teaching with excellent pastoral care, supporting pupils to develop subject expertise and important life skills. Pupils regularly represent the school in regional and national competitions, and many go on successfully to their next stage after leaving.

Key Strengths

  • Well-planned curriculum with logical progression from Years 7 to 13 that builds pupils' knowledge effectively
  • Strong subject expertise among teachers who explain concepts clearly and break down complex information accessibly
  • Effective behaviour management with high expectations, leading to calm learning environments
  • Impressive range of extra-curricular activities including sports, creative hobbies, and enrichment opportunities
  • Successful support for most pupils who struggle with reading, helping them catch up and access the curriculum

Areas for Improvement

  • Some adaptations for pupils with SEND lack precision, preventing them from accessing the full depth of learning alongside their peers
  • Reading intervention programmes sometimes lack sharp focus on individual needs and are ended too soon, meaning some pupils don't develop fluency quickly enough

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Football, rugby, pickleball, crochet, allotment gardening, model racing car design and building, school senate, sixth-form council

Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form is a good secondary comprehensive school where pupils are proud to attend and enjoy learning in calm, purposeful classrooms. The school has made significant improvements since its last inspection, with high ambition for all pupils reflected in a well-designed curriculum and strong teaching.

At a Glance

16.7%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

446 responses
Would recommend70%
Child is happy78%
Well taught79%
Good progress77%
Feels safe83%
Well behaved66%
Bullying dealt with20%
Kept informed72%
Handles concerns54%
Wider development64%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

20.0

Avg class size

80

Total classes

3 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

97%

Near capacity

1,830 pupils

1,892 capacity

62 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Norwich

High pressure
New homes approved:8,028
Projected new pupils:1,445

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Norwich

Admissions Demand - Norfolk

Low demand0.90x oversubscription

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(3)

29 April 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Sixth FormGood
5 July 2022
27 March 2014
Outstanding
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding

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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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.90946%

Overall absence

19.59766%

Persistent absence

1,541

Enrolments

Authorised6.24909%
Unauthorised1.66036%
Persistent (10%+)19.59766%
Severe (50%+)3.6989%

Absence trend

4.89234%
18/19
5.12239%
20/21
9.3394%
21/22
9.27194%
22/23
9.06007%
23/24
7.90946%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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