Acle Academy
Academy converter · 709 pupils
90% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.9
Academy sponsor led
Fakenham Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 723of 750 places
- Free school meals
- 25.6%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 128
- Ofsted
- Standards maintained, 9 October 2024Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Fakenham High School and College (URN 121185, until 18 April 2013).
What the data says
Of the 109 pupils who finished Year 11 at Fakenham Academy in 2023, 42% stayed on in Fakenham Academy’s own sixth form (Norfolk average 33%), 35% went to a further education college and 5% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 86 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 41% went to university (Norfolk 28%, England 37%), and 6% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally; 15% started an apprenticeship, well above the 7% England average.
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 40.9 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%).
Business Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 43% of the year group took it, against 18% of pupils across England.
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 | Fakenham Academy | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 109 | 8,553 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 94% | 92% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 81% | 85% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 42% | 33% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 0% | 7% | 13% |
| — further education college | 35% | 43% | 37% |
| — other education | 4% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 4% | 3% |
| Employment | 8% | 4% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 1% | 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 | Fakenham Academy | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 86 | 7,453 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 90% | 78% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 41% | 28% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 6% | 13% | 19% |
| Further education | 0% | 6% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 15% | 8% | 7% |
| Employment | 34% | 36% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 10% | 16% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Fakenham Academy | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 40.9 | 45.2 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 35% | 45% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 56% | 65% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 62% | 43% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.63 | 4.05 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 24% | 25% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 30.4 | 34.1 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 44.2 | 48.8 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 4% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Literature | 127 | 99% | 86% | 8% | 21% | 64% |
| Mathematics | 127 | 99% | 88% | 12% | 22% | 63% |
| English Language | 127 | 99% | 89% | 6% | 20% | 66% |
| Combined Science | 103 | 80% | 65% | 4% | 9% | 51% |
| Geography | 78 | 61% | 41% | 6% | 25% | 50% |
| Business Studies | 55 | 43% | 18% | 9% | 20% | 55% |
| History | 51 | 40% | 41% | 8% | 26% | 24% |
| French | 41 | 32% | 18% | 2% | 29% | 20% |
| Spanish | 39 | 30% | 19% | 0% | 27% | 3% |
| Film Studies | 27 | 21% | 1% | 4% | 20% | 33% |
| Design and Technology | 24 | 19% | 11% | 4% | 23% | 33% |
| Fine Art | 24 | 19% | 9% | 13% | 28% | 54% |
| Physics | 23 | 18% | 23% | 30% | 46% | 100% |
| Chemistry | 23 | 18% | 23% | 26% | 47% | 100% |
| Biology | 23 | 18% | 23% | 30% | 45% | 91% |
| Drama | 12 | 9% | 7% | 0% | 27% | 83% |
| Computer Science | 11 | 9% | 13% | 9% | 30% | 36% |
| Music | 4 | 3% | 5% | — | 33% | — |
| Photography | 4 | 3% | 6% | — | 19% | — |
| Polish | 2 | 2% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Turkish | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 71% | — |
| Art and Design | 1 | 1% | 7% | — | 24% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Studies | 42 | 95% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 40 | 91% | — |
| Health Studies | 27 | 61% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Fakenham Academy | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 105 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 44 | 3,184 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C- | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 27.53 | 33.65 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C- | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 13% | 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 | 14 | 32% | 23% |
| Business Studies | 13 | 30% | 13% |
| Biology | 12 | 27% | 20% |
| Geography | 10 | 23% | 10% |
| Film Studies | 9 | 20% | 2% |
| Mathematics | 8 | 18% | 31% |
| English Literature | 6 | 14% | 11% |
| Media Studies | 6 | 14% | 4% |
| Computer Science | — | — | 5% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| English Language | — | — | 4% |
| Politics | — | — | 6% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Physics | — | — | 12% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
| Spanish | — | — | 2% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 7 | 16% | — |
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 6 | 14% | — |
| Business Studies | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Small Business Management | BTEC Technical Certificate L2 - Band E - P-D | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-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.