Newmarket Academy

Academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed

Part of UNITY SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP

Exning Road, Newmarket, CB8 0EB

01638 664412 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 11 July 2023
Grade 5 or above in English and maths46%England 45% · 2024/25
14th highest of 43 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Higher than 55% of 3,259 state secondary schools in England.
Pupils797Room for 900 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 694 in 2019, 771 in 2021, 799 in 2022, 836 in 2023, 831 in 2024, 813 in 2025, 797 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place0.8119 for 141 places, September 2026
37th highest of 43 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Higher than 30% of 3,219 state secondary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 11 July 2023.

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
Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

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

160 pupils in this year group.

46% — 6 points above the Suffolk average, and about the same as the England average.

MeasureThis schoolSuffolkEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 46% 40% 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. 45.9 42.8 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 4.0 3.7 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
30% 40% 50% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 38%This school 2023/24: 39%This school 2024/25: 46% This school England 45% 2022/23 38% 2023/24 39% 2024/25 46%

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.

163 pupils in this year group.

89% — 4 points below the Suffolk average, and 3 points below the England average.

Where pupils went after Year 11
This school 16%22%41%
England 34%13%37%
MeasureThis schoolSuffolkEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 89% 93% 92%
School sixth form 16% 39% 34%
Sixth form college 22% 5% 13%
Further education college 41% 42% 37%
Apprenticeship 2% 3% 3%
Work 6% 3% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
91%89%

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 Suffolk. 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 fewer first-choice applications than places.

Places offered141
Families who put it first119
Of those, offered a place119 (100%)
Families who listed it at all192

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.8 · 2025: 0.9 · 2026: 0.8

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 Suffolk

Pupils, staff and SEND

Specialist SEND provision: this school has a SEN unit with 22 places for autism. These places are usually allocated through the council's SEND team.

PupilsThis schoolSuffolkEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
27th highest of 45 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Higher than 35% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
21.4% 22.5%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
19th highest of 45 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Higher than 73% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
4.1% 3.8%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
27th highest of 45 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Higher than 40% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
12.4% 13.9%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
6th highest of 45 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Higher than 68% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
20.8% 9.9%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
4th lowest of 43 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Lower than 65% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
7.5% 9.1%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
8th lowest of 43 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Lower than 67% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
20.1% 24.3%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
23rd lowest of 45 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Lower than 36% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
21.2 31.0 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
18th lowest of 45 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Lower than 49% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
6.9% 7.7% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded1 pupil 0.12% 0.34% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
Joint 7th highest of 45 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Higher than 88% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England.
19.0 17.7 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
29th highest of 45 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Higher than 45% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
11.6 12.3 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
Joint 8th highest of 45 state secondary schools in Suffolk.
Higher than 71% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England.
17.4% 12.5%* 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.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Questions parents ask

What is Newmarket Academy's Ofsted rating?

Newmarket Academy was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 11 July 2023.

How did Newmarket Academy do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 46% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, about the same as the England average of 45%.

Is Newmarket Academy oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 119 families put Newmarket Academy as their first choice for 141 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 119 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.