Wayland Academy

Type Secondary / Academy converter
Age Range 11-16
Religion Does not apply
Address Merton Road
Watton
Thetford
Norfolk
IP25 6BA
Phone 01953881514
Reference Number 137949

Wayland Academy has shown significant improvement since its previous inspection, now being rated as 'Good' in overall effectiveness. The school exhibits a strong culture defined by high expectations and clear structures, contributing to a safe and positive learning environment for students. The collaboration between school leaders and the trust has led to effective pedagogical approaches that enhance pupils' learning experiences. While many aspects of teaching and learning are strong, there are still areas where development is needed, particularly in ensuring teachers help students understand the purpose of their learning tasks.

General Makeup

Number of pupils 548
Boy/Girl ratio Boys: 50.73%
Girls: 49.27%
Percentage of students eligible for free school meals 25.1%
Percentage of students where English is not their first language 21%

Class Sizes

Average size of one teacher classes 26

Year Groups

Year Boys Girls Total
7 58 58 116
8 55 55 110
9 53 54 107
10 54 54 108
11 58 49 107

Ethnicities

Ethnicity Percentage
White, British 78.8%
White, Other 11.3%
White & Asian 2.2%
Indian 1.5%
White & Black (Caribbean) 0.7%
White & Black (African) 0.7%
Chinese 0.4%
Unclassified 0.2%
African 0.2%
Irish 0.2%
Mixed, Other 0.2%

Overall Ofsted Rating Good
 >  Quality of education Good
  >  Behaviour & Attitude Good
  >  Personal Development Good
  >  Leadership & Management Good
Last Report Date 11 Jul 2023
Date Report
11 Jul 2023 School inspection:
22 May 2019 Full inspection:
16 Jan 2019 Monitoring visit
24 Apr 2018 Monitoring visit
10 Jan 2018 Monitoring visit
18 Oct 2017 Monitoring visit
27 Apr 2017 Full inspection:
27 Feb 2013 Full inspection:
10 Aug 2012 Academy conversion letter
10 Mar 2011 Full inspection:
Previously as Wayland Community High School
10 Mar 2011 Full inspection:
19 Sep 2007 Full inspection:
19 Sep 2007 Full inspection:
13 Sep 2004 Full inspection
13 Sep 2004 Full inspection

Strengths

  • High expectations and clear structures contribute to a positive school culture.
  • Effective collaboration between school leaders and the trust drives improvement.
  • Teachers follow a logical curriculum that revisits important knowledge.
  • Students with SEND are well-supported and have their needs effectively met.
  • Consistent behaviour routines help maintain a respectful and focused learning environment.
  • Pupils have access to a broad range of extracurricular activities.

Areas for Improvement

  • Some subjects are less developed, with less refined teaching approaches.
  • Gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding exist in some areas.
  • Not all incidents of unkind behaviour are effectively dealt with, leading to a lack of confidence in staff response.

Attainment 8 Score

Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:

  • English
  • Maths
  • 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
  • 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education

Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.

School Score Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
52

GCSE Results

Metric School Score Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 63.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) 76.4%

Attainment 8 Score

Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:

Sample

Unlock

GCSE Results

Sample

Unlock
Unlock Premium

Get percentile rankings, historic result charts, admissions data, and post-GCSE destinations for every school.

£9.99 one-off payment. Lifetime access, no subscription.

Unlock for £9.99

2025 Admissions

Number of Applications Number of Offers
First Preference
Second Preference 18 8
Third Preference 6 0
From another Local Authority 0 0

Previous Years

Sample

Unlock

Destinations after GCSE's

Staying in Education
 >  Further Education
 >  School Sixth Form
 >  Sixth Form College
 >  Other Education
Apprenticeships
Employment
Not in education or employment
Unknown

Name Distance
Watton Westfield Infant and Nursery School
West Road, Watton, West Road, Thetford, Norfolk, IP25 6AU
0.25 miles
Watton Junior School
Brandon Road, West Road, Thetford, Norfolk, IP25 6AL
0.41 miles
Parker's Church of England Primary Academy
Pound Hill, Saham Toney, Thetford, Norfolk, IP25 7HP
1.56 miles
Thompson Primary School
School Road, Thompson, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 1PY
2.31 miles
St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy & Nursery
Church Street, Carbrooke, Thetford, Norfolk, IP25 6SW
2.44 miles
Caston Church of England Primary Academy
The Street, Caston, Attleborough, Norfolk, NR17 1DD
2.63 miles
Ashill Voluntary Controlled Primary School
The Oaks, Ashill, Ashill Vc Primary School, Thetford, Norfolk, IP25 7AP
3.09 miles
Name Distance
Filters

Basics

Age Range

Special Schools

Independent Schools

Faith Schools

Key Stage 2 Attainment

Students Meeting expected standard

Unlock Premium to filter by results - £9.99 one-off, lifetime access.

Unlock for £9.99

Students Meeting higher standard

Unlock Premium to filter by results - £9.99 one-off, lifetime access.

Unlock for £9.99

GCSE Attainment

Attainment 8 score percentile

Unlock Premium to filter by results - £9.99 one-off, lifetime access.

Unlock for £9.99

Students getting 5 or more GCSE's at grade 9-4 (A-C)

Unlock Premium to filter by results - £9.99 one-off, lifetime access.

Unlock for £9.99
Bootstrap