Caister Academy

Academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed

Part of CREATIVE EDUCATION TRUST

Windsor Road, Caister-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, NR30 5LS

01493 720542 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 16 January 2018; confirmed 2023
Grade 5 or above in English and maths47%England 45% · 2024/25
1st highest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Higher than 58% of 3,259 state secondary schools in England.
Pupils657Room for 805 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 669 in 2019, 685 in 2021, 698 in 2022, 694 in 2023, 679 in 2024, 635 in 2025, 657 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.0139 for 146 places, September 2026
3rd highest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Higher than 50% of 3,219 state secondary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 16 January 2018.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Outcomes for pupilsGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Leadership and managementGood
SafeguardingEffective

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 29 November 2023: Ofsted found the school was still Good.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

27 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026.

Norfolk comparisons use the 4 of its 55 state secondary schools with comparable results. The other 51 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.

StatementThis schoolNorfolkEngland
My child is happy at this school
1st highest of 4 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Norfolk.
Higher than 47% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
78% 71% 83%
My child feels safe at this school
1st highest of 4 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Norfolk.
Higher than 69% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
89% 77% 85%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved
1st highest of 4 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Norfolk.
Higher than 48% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
74% 65% 78%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 12 parents whose child had been bullied
2nd highest of 4 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Norfolk.
Higher than 60% of 344 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
50% 41% 43%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 27 parents who had raised a concern
1st highest of 4 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Norfolk.
Higher than 69% of 431 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
78% 61% 74%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 11 parents of children with SEND
1st highest of 4 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Norfolk.
Higher than 76% of 356 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
73% 51% 63%
I would recommend this school to another parent
1st highest of 4 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in Norfolk.
Higher than 79% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
93%said yes 76% 83%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 4%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Norfolk figures pool parents at the Norfolk schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

109 pupils in this year group.

47% — 2 points above the Norfolk average, and 1 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolNorfolkEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 47% 45% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 49.4 45.2 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 4.0 4.0 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
20% 30% 40% 50% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 28%This school 2023/24: 40%This school 2024/25: 47% This school England 45% 2022/23 28% 2023/24 40% 2024/25 47%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

145 pupils in this year group.

91% — about the same as the Norfolk average, and about the same as the England average.

Where pupils went after Year 11
This school 37%46%
England 34%13%37%
MeasureThis schoolNorfolkEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 91% 92% 92%
School sixth form 1% 33% 34%
Sixth form college 37% 7% 13%
Further education college 46% 43% 37%
Apprenticeship 3% 4% 3%
Work 4% 4% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
97%91%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Norfolk. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered146
Families who put it first139
Of those, offered a place138 (99%)
Families who listed it at all238

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.9 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 1.0

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

Admissions dates and schools in Norfolk

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolNorfolkEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
3rd highest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Higher than 77% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
40.3% 25.5%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
1st highest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Higher than 74% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
4.1% 4.3%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
2nd highest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Higher than 92% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
21.9% 14.1%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
2nd highest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Higher than 59% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
15.9% 12.2%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
1st lowest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Lower than 48% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
8.5% 8.9%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
1st lowest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Lower than 44% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
24.6% 23.4%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
2nd lowest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Lower than 24% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
30.1 21.3 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
2nd lowest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Lower than 30% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
9.6% 6.8% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded7 pupils 1.10% 0.32% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
Joint 1st highest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Higher than 92% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England.
19.7 17.7 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
3rd highest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Higher than 37% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
11.3 11.9 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
1st highest of 5 state secondary schools in Great Yarmouth.
Higher than 91% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England.
25.4% 11.8%* 14.2%*

Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Nearby secondary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Caister Academy's Ofsted rating?

Caister Academy was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 16 January 2018. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 29 November 2023, Ofsted found the school was still Good.

How did Caister Academy do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 47% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 1 points above the England average of 45%.

Would parents recommend Caister Academy?

93% of the 27 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026 said they would recommend Caister Academy to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Is Caister Academy oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 139 families put Caister Academy as their first choice for 146 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 138 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.