Iceni Secondary Academy
similar schools
Iceni Secondary Academy is a sponsored academy in Thetford for boys and girls aged 11 to 16. It has 555 pupils and room for 745. About 23 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 13 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 6% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2024, no overall grade.
Stoke Road, Methwold, Thetford, IP26 4PE01366 728333icenisecondary.attrust.org.ukMr Richard Rushton principalAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 3 December 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
116 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 116 | 143 | 87 | 121 | 95 | 105 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 39.0 | 34.7 | 38.9 | 40.6 | 38.2 | 38.5 | 45.3 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | -0.73 | -0.38 | -0.53 | -0.45 | -0.44 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 38% | 25% | 32% | 31% | 38% | 36% | 45% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 57% | 46% | 49% | 57% | 56% | 61% | 65% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 3.48 | 3.30 | 3.67 | 3.91 | 3.53 | 3.53 | 4.05 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 42% | 71% | 66% | 77% | 20% | 20% | 43% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 26.7 | 26.4 | 29.3 | 36.2 | 28.5 | 28.3 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 42.2 | 37.6 | 42.0 | 41.9 | 41.9 | 41.3 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 21.3 | 22.3 | 29.7 | 19.2 | 21.4 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 50.3 | 60.9 | 61.5 | 54.5 | 51.3 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 14 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.
Subjects that did worse than the England average: Drama (31% here, 60% across England), Religious Studies (38% here, 60% across England), English Literature (38% here, 58% across England), History (36% here, 52% across England).
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 113 | 6% | 47% | 63% | 53% | 1,939 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 113 | 15% | 49% | 67% | 54% | 1,875 of 3,210 |
| English Literature | 112 | 9% | 38% | 60% | 58% | 2,773 of 3,202 |
| Combined Science | 110 | 5% | 36% | 58% | 36% | 1,446 of 3,084 |
| History | 78 | 17% | 36% | 50% | 52% | 2,490 of 3,126 |
| Art and Design | 73 | 16% | 51% | 64% | 58% | 1,803 of 2,818 |
| Food Preparation & Nutrition | 62 | 10% | 42% | 55% | 52% | 729 of 1,098 |
| Geography | 62 | 10% | 42% | 65% | 51% | 1,987 of 3,116 |
| French | 27 | 0% | 44% | 48% | 60% | 1,536 of 1,974 |
| German | 26 | 19% | 73% | 85% | 63% | 219 of 571 |
| Religious Studies | 16 | 6% | 38% | 38% | 60% | – |
| Drama | 16 | 6% | 31% | 56% | 60% | – |
| Music | 8 | 0% | 13% | 38% | 61% | – |
| Computer Science | 7 | 14% | 29% | 43% | 56% | – |
In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2024
15 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 15 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 13 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 62% | 43% | 57% | 50% | 38% | 54% | 52% | 62% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 8% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 8% | 4% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 103.0 | 101.0 | 101.0 | 102.0 | 100.0 | 104.0 | 104.4 | 105.3 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 101.0 | 100.0 | 103.0 | 102.0 | 99.0 | 101.0 | 102.8 | 104.2 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 104.0 | 99.0 | 103.0 | 103.0 | 102.0 | 104.0 | 103.0 | 105.1 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 60% | 57% | 64% | 50% | 69% | 77% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 73% | 50% | 86% | 70% | 54% | 62% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 85% | 71% | 79% | 60% | 77% | 77% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | -1.6 | -1.9 | +0.1 | -2.5 | +2.5 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | -1.3 | -0.5 | +1.2 | -4.2 | -0.8 | – | – |
A level and sixth-form results, 2018
29 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 29 | 123 | 93 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | – | 16.58 | 14.06 |
| Average A level grade | – | D- | E+ |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | – | 19.26 | 16.08 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | – | 0% | 0% |
| A level progressA level value added | – | -0.62 | -0.83 |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | 25% | 88% | – |
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 3 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At GCSE, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Open to all. There is no entrance test.
189 places were empty (25% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 23% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Norfolk council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (49), Moderate learning difficulty (45), Specific learning difficulty (16), Autistic spectrum disorder (15), language and communications needs (12), Other difficulty or disability (4).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 555 | 582 | 748 | 781 | 736 | 719 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 23% | 22% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 19% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 5% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 2% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 21% | 16% | 16% | 15% | 16% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 5% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 88.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 11.3% | 11.5% | 11.2% | 9.7% | 6.7% | 7.2% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 6.2% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 6.8% | 5.2% | 5.0% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 5.1% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 2.9% | 1.5% | 2.2% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 28.3% | 31.6% | 35.8% | 31.3% | 18.7% | 20.4% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 94.5 | 74.2 | 66.5 | 25.3 | 11.8 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 87 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 71%, compared with 88% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 84% | 91% | 89% | 95% |
| Education | 76% | 79% | 78% | 85% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Work | 7% | 7% | 6% | 6% |
| Not in education, work or training | 6% | 5% | 9% | 4% |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
No other schools of this phase within 8 km.
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Iceni Secondary Academy with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 13 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 13% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 9 to 18. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | below | -0.16 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 116 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | below | -0.12 | Ofsted grade, 1.8 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | well below | -0.22 | DfE progress measure; 116 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | below | -0.04 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well below | -0.12 | 2024/25; 601 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | below | -0.07 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 116 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | below | -0.05 | 87 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Iceni Secondary Academy a good school?
The figures are weak. Iceni Secondary Academy scores 13 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 6% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 9 to 18, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Iceni Secondary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Iceni Secondary Academy not judged at its last full inspection on 3 December 2024.
How good are Iceni Secondary Academy's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 38% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 39.0, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are Iceni Secondary Academy's SATs results?
In summer 2024, 62% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 62%. 8% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.
How many pupils does Iceni Secondary Academy have?
555 pupils aged 11 to 16 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 745 places, so it is 74% full.
Is Iceni Secondary Academy oversubscribed?
Probably not. 189 places were empty in 2024/25 (25% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Iceni Secondary Academy?
Pupils were in school 88.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 28% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Iceni Secondary Academy?
The average class had 25.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 9% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Iceni Secondary Academy have a sixth form?
No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship; 84% of 2022/23 leavers were still in education, work or training six months on.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Stoke Road, Methwold, Thetford, IP26 4PE
- Telephone
- 01366 728333
- Website
- icenisecondary.attrust.org.uk
- Principal
- Mr Richard Rushton
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- Secondary school, ages 11-16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- Academy Transformation Trust (20 schools)
- Local authority
- Norfolk
- Ward
- Methwold
- Constituency
- South West Norfolk
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 January 2013 (new provision)
- URN
- 139058 · LAESTAB 9266911 · UKPRN 10039862
- Formerly
- Hockwold and Methwold Community School
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2023/24.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.