School Chooser

Red Balloon - Norwich

Independent · ages 11-17MixedIndependent (grammar)39 pupilsSixth formNorwichNorfolk
School Chooser ScoreNot scoredWe don't score this type of school.
Strong pass in English and maths9%England 46%
Places1 spare39 pupils, 40 places
Average A level gradeNE2023/24
Pupils on roll39Census January 2024

Red Balloon - Norwich is an independent school in Norwich for boys and girls aged 11 to 17. It has 39 pupils and room for 40.

289 Drayton Road, Norwich, NR3 2PW01603 622288rbnorwich.org.ukMr Mark Anderson coordinatorAll details

Inspection

This private school is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, not Ofsted. Its reports are at isi.net.

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

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

Average GCSE score16.5
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths9%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths18%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 16.316.320182019: 25.625.620192022: 26.926.920222024: 16.016.020242025: 16.516.52025
Since 2018: +0.2
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018NorfolkEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 111110511136––
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 816.516.0–26.925.616.345.346.8
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths9%20%–36%46%17%45%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths18%30%–36%46%33%65%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score1.380.85–1.091.970.614.054.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry9%0%–0%0%0%43%41%

A level and sixth-form results, 2024

1 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeNE
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure2024202320222019
Students12710
Average A level gradeNENENENE

Getting a place

Grammar school. This is a grammar school, so places depend on an entrance test.

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 the school teaches, from the latest school census.

Pupils on roll39Census January 2024
Places4098% full
Pupils from low-income families–Get free school meals
Pupils getting extra support0%0 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan100%39 pupils with a plan
Boys and girls15 / 24
How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll393733272730
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals––––0%0%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language––––0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support–0%3%0%0%0%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans–100%97%100%100%100%

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m39012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate112 per 1,000 people23% higher than the England average
Typical house price£235,000Norwich

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 schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Mile Cross Primary SchoolCouncil520 m465Not inspected55Compare
Wensum Junior SchoolAcademy0.7 miles153Requires improvement 20236Compare
Nelson Infant SchoolAcademy0.7 miles137Good 202327Compare
Catton Grove Primary SchoolCouncil0.8 miles639Good 202318Compare
Heather Avenue Infant SchoolAcademy0.9 miles99No overall grade 202458Compare
Notre Dame Preparatory School (Norwich) LimitedIndependent1.0 miles114Not inspected–Compare
Angel Road Infant SchoolAcademy1.0 miles155No overall grade 202547Compare
Angel Road Junior SchoolAcademy1.0 miles192No overall grade 202548Compare
All schools in NorfolkAll schools in NorwichBest primary schools in England

Questions parents ask

Is Red Balloon - Norwich a good school?

We don't have enough published data to score Red Balloon - Norwich yet.

How good are Red Balloon - Norwich's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 9% 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 16.5, against 46.8 for England.

How many pupils does Red Balloon - Norwich have?

39 pupils aged 11 to 17 were on the roll in January 2024. It has 40 places, so it is 98% full.

Does Red Balloon - Norwich have an entrance exam?

Yes. It is a grammar school, so places depend on an entrance test, usually sat in September of Year 6. Check the school's admissions page for the test dates and the pass mark.

Does Red Balloon - Norwich have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2024 was NE.

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

Contact and details

Address
289 Drayton Road, Norwich, NR3 2PW
Telephone
01603 622288
Website
rbnorwich.org.uk
Coordinator
Mr Mark Anderson
Type of school
Independent school (Other independent school, independent schools)
Phase
Independent school, ages 11-17, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
None
Local authority
Norfolk
Ward
Mile Cross
Constituency
Norwich North
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
30 April 2007 (new provision)
URN
135250 · LAESTAB 9266158 · UKPRN 10022994
Official recordGovernment performance tablesDownload this school's data (CSV)

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from