Aylsham High School

Aylsham High School continues to maintain its status as a good school, with a strong commitment to the education and well-being of its pupils. The school fosters a positive and supportive environment that encourages students to focus on their studies and develop independence. Pupils feel safe, valued, and are keen to achieve high results, supported by effective relationships with staff. The school's curriculum planning is effective, facilitating consistent pupil achievements, particularly in key stage 4, and ensuring that those with special educational needs and disabilities receive necessary support through its specialized nurture provision. However, while the academic performance of the students is commendable, there are concerns regarding the wider participation in extracurricular activities. Not all pupils are aware of the available options, which limits their engagement and the potential benefits they could gain from such experiences. The school aims to improve the culture around these activities, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, to enhance their overall educational and personal development further.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, safe, and keen to achieve.
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils support a positive learning environment.
• Effective curriculum planning leads to consistent achievement in key stage 4.
• Clear support systems for pupils struggling with reading.
• The nurture provision effectively supports pupils with high levels of SEND needs.
• High levels of regular school attendance among pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Limited awareness and participation in extracurricular activities among pupils.
• Need for a better understanding of the impact of the wider development curriculum.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Aylsham High School attended 90.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 23.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 2.3% of pupils at Aylsham High School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Aylsham High School had 19.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 15.2% of pupils at Aylsham High School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Aylsham High School received £7,544 and spent £7,699 for each of its 1,558 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £927,000 (-£595 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). This school files a single return with the other schools in its federation, so the figures are for the whole federation.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Norwich · Norfolk local authority: places and applications

Aylsham High School is part of The Aylsham Cluster Trust, which runs 4 schools. The nearest others:

• Bure Valley School Norwich
• John of Gaunt Infant and Nursery School Norwich
• Buxton Primary School Norwich

What is Aylsham High School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Aylsham High School is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was Aylsham High School last inspected by Ofsted?

Aylsham High School was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does Aylsham High School have?

Aylsham High School has 1,138 pupils on roll.

What age range does Aylsham High School cover?

Aylsham High School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Aylsham High School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.6, and 54% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Aylsham High School?

Aylsham High School is at Sir Williams Lane, Aylsham, Norwich, Norfolk, NR11 6AN.