Acle Academy
Academy converter · 709 pupils
90% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.9
Academy sponsor led
The Open Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 529of 750 places
- Free school meals
- 39.9%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 104
- Ofsted
- Good, 28 March 2023Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Heartsease High School (URN 121174).
What the data says
Of the 104 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Open Academy in 2023, 33% stayed on in The Open Academy’s own sixth form (Norfolk average 33%), 48% went to a further education college and 2% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 43 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 35% went to university (Norfolk 28%, England 37%), and 0% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
A level grades average D-, well below the England average of B-; 0% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%). The largest A level subjects are Psychology, History and Photography.
GCSE results in 2025 were well below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 36.7 against 46.1 across England and 45.2 in Norfolk, with 35% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Norfolk and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Open Academy | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 104 | 8,553 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 87% | 92% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 84% | 85% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 33% | 33% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 1% | 7% | 13% |
| — further education college | 48% | 43% | 37% |
| — other education | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 4% | 3% |
| Employment | 1% | 4% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 11% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Open Academy | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 43 | 7,453 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 74% | 78% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 35% | 28% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 0% | 13% | 19% |
| Further education | 5% | 6% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 8% | 7% |
| Employment | 35% | 36% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 23% | 16% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Open Academy | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 36.7 | 45.2 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 35% | 45% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 51% | 65% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 64% | 43% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.16 | 4.05 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 40% | 25% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 34.2 | 34.1 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 38.4 | 48.8 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 12% | 12% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 103 | 99% | 88% | 19% | 22% | 69% |
| English Language | 103 | 99% | 89% | 9% | 20% | 51% |
| English Literature | 99 | 95% | 86% | 8% | 21% | 53% |
| Combined Science | 86 | 83% | 65% | 7% | 9% | 33% |
| German | 68 | 65% | 5% | 3% | 33% | 9% |
| History | 67 | 64% | 41% | 7% | 26% | 34% |
| Geography | 32 | 31% | 41% | 13% | 25% | 31% |
| Fine Art | 24 | 23% | 9% | 8% | 28% | 58% |
| Design and Technology | 23 | 22% | 11% | 0% | 23% | 35% |
| Religious Studies | 18 | 17% | 31% | 22% | 32% | 33% |
| Photography | 18 | 17% | 6% | 22% | 19% | 83% |
| Chemistry | 17 | 16% | 23% | 12% | 47% | 47% |
| Biology | 17 | 16% | 23% | 12% | 45% | 59% |
| Physics | 17 | 16% | 23% | 12% | 46% | 53% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 14 | 13% | 8% | 36% | 21% | 71% |
| Computer Science | 14 | 13% | 13% | 0% | 30% | 36% |
| Music | 8 | 8% | 5% | 0% | 33% | 13% |
| Business Studies | 2 | 2% | 18% | — | 20% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business Management | 37 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 24 | 100% | — |
| Sports Studies | 9 | 53% | — |
| Speech and Drama | 7 | 41% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Open Academy | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 42 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 17 | 3,184 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | D- | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 17.21 | 33.65 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | D- | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 0% | 15% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 8 | 47% | 23% |
| History | 6 | 35% | 13% |
| Photography | 6 | 35% | 3% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Biology | — | — | 20% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| Mathematics | — | — | 31% |
| Physics | — | — | 12% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 7 | 41% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Norfolk
Alderman Peel High School
Academy converter · 606 pupils
76% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.4
Attleborough Academy
Academy converter · sixth form · 976 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.4
Aylsham High School
Foundation school · 1,138 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.0
Broadland High Ormiston Academy
Academy converter · 725 pupils
82% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.8
Caister Academy
Academy sponsor led · 657 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 49.4
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.