The Open Academy

The Open Academy has made significant improvements since its previous inspection, moving from an inadequate rating to 'good' across all evaluated domains. The school has successfully raised expectations for student behavior and attendance, resulting in a more positive school environment. Leadership is effective in promoting inclusive practices, and there is a strong focus on supporting students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Pupils report feeling safer and more supported, and their engagement in both curricular and extracurricular activities is commendable. The academy's curriculum is well-planned and carefully sequenced, helping students build on prior knowledge. While most pupils are making steady progress, a small number still struggle to meet behavioral expectations, which can interfere with their learning experience. Leadership is currently working to address these ongoing concerns to ensure that improvements are sustained and that every pupil can benefit from high-quality education and support.

Strengths

• Inclusive school culture supporting pupils of all abilities.
• Improved behavior and attendance with clear expectations.
• Well-planned curriculum building on prior knowledge.
• Strong support for pupils with SEND.
• Engagement in extracurricular activities enhances learning.
• Effective safeguarding procedures and staff training.

Areas for Improvement

• A small number of pupils still do not consistently meet behavior expectations.
• Some pupils miss learning due to absences from lessons.

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 The Open Academy attended 87.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 32.7% 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, 13.6% of pupils at The Open Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 5 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 The Open Academy had 14.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.9% 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, 28.4% of pupils at The Open Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 8.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 10 pupils.

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 2024–25 The Open Academy received £10,094 and spent £9,920 for each of its 560 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £122,000 (£218 per pupil).

Across all 22 schools of The Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust, income was £11,069 and spending £10,622 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

The Open Academy is part of The Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust, which runs 40 schools. The nearest others:

• St Peter's CofE Primary Academy, Easton Norwich
• Great Witchingham Church of England Primary Academy Norwich
• Cawston Church of England Primary Academy Norwich
• Hockering Church of England Primary Academy Dereham
• Lyng Church of England Primary Academy Norwich
• Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy Bungay
• Earsham Church of England Primary Academy Nr Bungay
• Yaxham Church of England Primary Academy Dereham
• Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy Beccles
• Moorlands CofE Primary Academy Great Yarmouth

What is The Open Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Open Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.

When was The Open Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The Open Academy was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does The Open Academy have?

The Open Academy has 529 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Open Academy cover?

The Open Academy for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are The Open Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 33.1, and 26% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The Open Academy?

The Open Academy is at Salhouse Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 9DL.