The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)
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The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) is a converter academy in Harleston for boys and girls aged 3 to 16. It has 824 pupils and room for 973. About 24 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 57 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 59% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.
Wilderness Lane, Harleston, IP20 9DD01379 852561sancroft.stbenets.orgRob Connelly headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 24 June 2025, 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
91 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 | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 91 | 97 | 94 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 42.7 | 47.3 | 43.7 | 45.3 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | +0.04 | -0.02 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 30% | 35% | 29% | 45% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 64% | 64% | 54% | 65% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 3.56 | 4.06 | 3.63 | 4.05 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 20% | 23% | 16% | 43% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 30.7 | 30.8 | 31.3 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 46.8 | 49.9 | 47.7 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 24.0 | 27.6 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 67.2 | 61.5 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 11 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
Subjects that did worse than the England average: German (6% here, 63% across England), Mathematics (38% here, 53% across England), Religious Studies (50% here, 60% 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 | 87 | 9% | 38% | 70% | 53% | 2,583 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 87 | 10% | 54% | 76% | 54% | 1,434 of 3,210 |
| Combined Science | 86 | 7% | 37% | 64% | 36% | 1,297 of 3,084 |
| Religious Studies | 84 | 11% | 50% | 68% | 60% | 1,351 of 1,825 |
| English Literature | 84 | 18% | 60% | 76% | 58% | 1,289 of 3,202 |
| Geography | 40 | 10% | 55% | 80% | 51% | 1,077 of 3,116 |
| History | 31 | 16% | 58% | 84% | 52% | 1,045 of 3,126 |
| Art and Design | 30 | 13% | 70% | 87% | 58% | 874 of 2,818 |
| German | 17 | 0% | 6% | 18% | 63% | – |
| Computer Science | 8 | 13% | 50% | 75% | 56% | – |
| French | 7 | 14% | 71% | 71% | 60% | – |
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 2025
61 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 61 | 52 | 51 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 59% | 35% | 47% | 56% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 8% | 0% | 8% | 5% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 104.0 | 102.0 | 102.0 | 104.6 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 103.0 | 99.0 | 102.0 | 103.2 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 106.0 | 101.0 | 101.0 | 103.2 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 74% | 62% | 69% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 70% | 44% | 57% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 69% | 48% | 65% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -2.5 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -2.5 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 20% | 14% | 13% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 72% | 42% | 53% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
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. 1 of the 6 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
At the end of primary school, 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
Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
About 95 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up.
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.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 22.3 pupils (England 26.2); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.2 (England 28.2).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (57), emotional and mental health (47), language and communications needs (37), Specific learning difficulty (32), Autistic spectrum disorder (6), Physical disability (5).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 824 | 837 | 874 | 924 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 24% | 20% | 18% | 18% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 6% | 6% | 4% | 4% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 14% | 16% | 16% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 7% | 5% | 4% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 6.8% | 7.2% | 8.7% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 5.5% | 5.8% | 6.5% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.4% | 1.5% | 2.2% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 18.5% | 20.4% | 23.0% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 18.9 | 19.6 | 15.8 | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 3 | 3 | 4 | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 94 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 74%, compared with 92% for everyone else.
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mendham Primary School | Academy | 1.8 miles | 57 | Good 2024 | 36 | Compare |
| Alburgh With Denton Church of England Primary Academy | Academy | 3.1 miles | 99 | Not inspected | 36 | Compare |
| Pulham Church of England Primary Academy | Academy | 3.4 miles | 98 | No overall grade 2025 | – | Compare |
| Fressingfield Church of England Primary School | Academy | 3.7 miles | 91 | Good 2022 | 21 | Compare |
| Dickleburgh Church of England Primary Academy (With Pre-School) | Academy | 4.6 miles | 179 | No overall grade 2024 | 91 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School), 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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Framingham Earl High School | Academy | 12.7 miles | 791 | Good 2022 | 67 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 57 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 57% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 45 to 68. 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% | in line | -0.06 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 91 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | +0.05 | Ofsted grade, 1.2 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | +0.01 | DfE progress measure; 91 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well above | +0.15 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.05 | 2024/25; 824 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | below | -0.09 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 91 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | below | -0.02 | 94 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 The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) a good school?
It is about average. The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) scores 57 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 59% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 45 to 68, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)'s Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) not judged at its last full inspection on 24 June 2025.
How good are The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)'s GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 30% 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 42.7, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished about level with children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)'s SATs results?
In summer 2025, 59% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 8% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) have?
824 pupils aged 3 to 16 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 973 places, so it is 85% full.
Is The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) oversubscribed?
Probably not. 95 places were empty in 2024/25 (10% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)?
Pupils were in school 93.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)?
The average class had 23.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 14% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School) have a sixth form?
No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship; 87% 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
- Wilderness Lane, Harleston, IP20 9DD
- Telephone
- 01379 852561
- Website
- www.sancroft.stbenets.org
- Headteacher
- Rob Connelly
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- All-through school, ages 3-16, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of Norwich
- Multi-academy trust
- The Diocese of Norwich St Benet's Multi-Academy Trust (19 schools)
- Local authority
- Norfolk
- Ward
- Harleston
- Constituency
- Waveney Valley
- Setting
- Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 September 2022 (result of amalgamation)
- URN
- 149197 · LAESTAB 9264034 · UKPRN 10091162
- Formerly
- Archbishop Sancroft High School (A Church of England Academy), Harleston CofE Primary Academy
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, 2024/25.
- 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.