School Chooser

Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport

Secondary · ages 11-18MixedAcademy865 pupilsSixth formSaffron WaldenEssex
School Chooser Score
37
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 28 to 47
Out of 100. Better than 4% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, June 2023
Strong pass in English and maths48%England 46%
Attendance91.0%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families12%Far fewer than most schools
Places165 spare865 pupils, 1,030 places
Pupils per teacher18.9School workforce census

Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport is a converter academy in Saffron Walden for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 865 pupils and room for 1,030. About 12 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 37 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Bury Water Lane, Newport, Saffron Walden, CB11 3TR01799 540237joycefrankland.orgMrs Deborah Warwick principalAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 27 June 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Requires improvement
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Sixth formOfsted calls this “post-16”
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes
Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
10 February 2022UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

179 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score44.9
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths48%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths65%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-0.23In each subject, pupils here finished a little behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 48.448.420182019: 53.553.520192022: 52.452.420222023: 48.648.620232024: 49.149.120242025: 44.944.92025
Since 2018: -3.5Declining overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018EssexEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11179167160169131151
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 844.949.148.652.453.548.446.046.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-0.23-0.11-0.09+0.21+0.03
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths48%49%53%56%52%43%44%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths65%73%79%78%78%64%65%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score4.094.494.414.754.914.384.064.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry41%46%50%62%66%53%39%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged31.627.528.839.838.240.9
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged47.251.450.654.054.649.4
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers21.328.631.423.3
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers64.965.869.963.661.3

Subjects

Results came out for 24 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.

Strongest subjects

Spanish74%grades 9 to 5, England 54% · 360th of 1,941 schools
Biology94%grades 9 to 5, England 82% · 830th of 2,570 schools

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Economics (24% here, 70% across England), Design & Technology (24% here, 50% across England), Food Preparation & Nutrition (26% here, 52% across England), Media / Film / TV (33% here, 55% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, 4 languages, computer science, music, classics.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics177 entries · 33rd of 78 in Essex
51%England 53%
English Language177 entries · 29th of 78 in Essex
57%England 54%
English Literature172 entries · 28th of 78 in Essex
59%England 58%
Combined Science138 entries · 35th of 74 in Essex
31%England 36%
History111 entries · 30th of 77 in Essex
54%England 52%
Art and Design96 entries · 31st of 76 in Essex
58%England 58%
Geography74 entries · 34th of 74 in Essex
47%England 51%
Media / Film / TV52 entries · 24th of 30 in Essex
33%England 55%
Physical Education47 entries · 36th of 47 in Essex
40%England 56%
Food Preparation & Nutrition42 entries · 28th of 30 in Essex
26%England 52%
Economics42 entries · 4th of 4 in Essex
24%England 70%
Spanish38 entries · 6th of 45 in Essex
74%England 54%
Physics35 entries · 36th of 69 in Essex
83%England 82%
Chemistry35 entries · 29th of 69 in Essex
86%England 81%
Biology34 entries · 16th of 69 in Essex
94%England 82%
Design & Technology34 entries · 27th of 32 in Essex
24%England 50%
Drama19 entries
63%England 60%
French18 entries
61%England 60%
German17 entries
59%England 63%
43%England 60%
Music14 entries
21%England 61%
46%England 56%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics17716%51%71%53%1,561 of 3,211
English Language17715%57%70%54%1,241 of 3,210
English Literature17217%59%77%58%1,352 of 3,202
Combined Science1383%31%57%36%1,772 of 3,084
History11123%54%62%52%1,315 of 3,126
Art and Design9622%58%69%58%1,430 of 2,818
Geography7420%47%69%51%1,580 of 3,116
Media / Film / TV5210%33%48%55%507 of 580
Physical Education4715%40%64%56%1,171 of 1,559
Food Preparation & Nutrition425%26%48%52%950 of 1,098
Economics420%24%48%70%140 of 142
Spanish3834%74%87%54%360 of 1,941
Physics3543%83%89%82%1,484 of 2,546
Chemistry3531%86%94%81%1,328 of 2,537
Biology3456%94%100%82%830 of 2,570
Design & Technology343%24%32%50%1,277 of 1,478
Drama1926%63%68%60%
French1828%61%83%60%
German1729%59%82%63%
Religious Studies1414%43%50%60%
Music140%21%21%61%
Computer Science119%46%55%56%
Latin956%67%78%82%
Dance667%67%83%58%

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.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

35 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeD18.8 points per entry
A level progress-0.91Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better0%with two subjects universities favour
Stayed and finished84%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students353949559282
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry18.8018.3722.6928.2929.1526.01
Average A level gradeDDD+C-CC-
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS20.0017.7022.7528.9230.0026.93
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects0%3%9%8%15%5%
A level progressA level value added-0.91-0.89+0.19+0.27
Applied general courses: points per entry26.1129.23
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed84%83%83%96%90%98%

A level subjects

9 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsMedia / Film / TV Studies13Photography11Psychology9Biology6Fine Art6Economics6Business Studies5Sociology5Government and Politics5
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Media / Film / TV Studies13 entries · 0% A* or A · 92% passed
8%England 46%
Photography11 entries · 0% A* or A · 91% passed
18%England 58%
Psychology9 entries · 0% A* or A · 44% passed
0%England 46%
Biology6 entries · 0% A* or A · 83% passed
17%England 49%
Fine Art6 entries · 0% A* or A · 83% passed
0%England 65%
Economics6 entries · 0% A* or A · 67% passed
0%England 57%
Business Studies5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 47%
Sociology5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 49%
Government and Politics5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 55%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

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. None of the gaps is 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

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
31.647.2
Gap 15.6England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
22%52%
Gap 30 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
42.947.1
Gap 4.2England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

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.

Plenty of spare places960 pupils for 1,191 places, 2024/25
81% full

231 places were empty (19% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 5% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

How places were given out for September 2026. The last place was given under this rule: Criterion 10.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Secondary180374LA

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.

Pupils on roll865Census January 2026
Places1,03084% full
Pupils from low-income families12%12% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English5%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support16%142 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%20 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.530 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils30%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)13%£117,700 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls485 / 380
White British pupils87%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (65), Specific learning difficulty (55), Autistic spectrum disorder (18), Moderate learning difficulty (9), language and communications needs (7), Physical disability (4).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll8659689951,0221,003935
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals12%12%11%10%8%7%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language5%5%4%4%2%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support13%10%7%6%6%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans1%2%1%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 91.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance91.0%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school22.7%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils7.52024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.7%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence9.0%8.1%7.3%7.7%4.5%5.4%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence7.3%6.2%5.7%6.3%3.6%4.6%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.7%2.0%1.6%1.3%0.9%0.8%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence22.7%20.2%20.4%23.3%8.5%13.3%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate7.54.18.43.51.6
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 160 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training94%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 73%, compared with 96% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training94%94%94%95%
Education86%90%84%93%
Apprenticeship4%2%5%2%
Work4%2%5%1%
Not in education, work or training4%4%5%4%

After sixth form

Where the 46 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training78%and stayed there for at least six months

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training55%England 72%
Top-third universities10%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship7%England 6%
Higher technical course0%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND
Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training78%85%88%
Education37%48%50%
Apprenticeship7%6%13%3%
Work35%32%25%
Not in education, work or training17%11%8%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers45.8full-time equivalent, 51 people
Pupils per teacher18.9Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers88%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants10.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£52,670
Teachers who left in the year19%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher5.22024/25

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.

Spend per pupil£6,915England £7,965. Total £6.7m
Income per pupil£7,607England £8,423. Total £7.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,789England £4,444
Money in reserve3%Very little put by: £184k, £190 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£670kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,915spent per pupil

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

Crimes within 500 m5012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate36 per 1,000 people61% lower than the England average
Typical house price£465,000Uttlesford
Nearest bus stop80 mJF Academy, 8 stops within 500 m

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.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Saffron Walden County High SchoolAcademy2.2 miles2,157Outstanding 202489Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport 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.

Beats4%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 37 is 38 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 6 · middle 75 · highest 98100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Bassingbourn Village CollegeAcademy13.1 miles652Good 202346Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 37 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 37% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 28 to 47. 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 atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%in line
+0.05
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 179 pupils
Ofsted inspection20% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.02
Ofsted grade, 3.2 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.05
DfE progress measure; 179 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.11
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.01
2024/25; 926 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.16
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 179 pupils
What pupils do next5%above
+0.03
160 pupils
What parents say0%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 Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport a good school?

It is about average. Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport scores 37 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 28 to 47, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport good at its last full inspection on 27 June 2023.

How good are Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 48% 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 44.9, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished a little behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport have?

865 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,030 places, so it is 84% full.

Is Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport oversubscribed?

Probably not. 231 places were empty in 2024/25 (19% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport?

Pupils were in school 91.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 23% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport?

The average class had 25.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 30% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was D. 9 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Bury Water Lane, Newport, Saffron Walden, CB11 3TR
Telephone
01799 540237
Website
joycefrankland.org
Principal
Mrs Deborah Warwick
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
None
Multi-academy trust
Anglian Learning (22 schools)
Local authority
Essex
Ward
Newport
Constituency
North West Essex
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2012 (academy converter)
URN
138734 · LAESTAB 8815436 · UKPRN 10038646
Formerly
Newport Free Grammar School

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from