City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Norwich, Norfolk, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 263 of its 1,685 pupils (15.6%) were getting SEN support and 45 (2.7%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,685 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Norfolk.
15.6% get SEN support
263 of 1,685 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
2.7% have an EHC plan
45 of 1,685 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health98
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia54
- Autism48
- Moderate learning difficulty38
- Speech, language and communication34
- Hearing impairment14
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,685 (places for 1,755)
- Headteacher
- Ms Jo Philpott
- Part of
- Ormiston Academies Trust
- Free school meals
- 28.3% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Norfolk
- School reference (URN)
- 141269
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Norfolk council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, October 2016; school remains Good (December 2021)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in October 2016. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, December 2021).
Contact and getting there
Eaton Road, Norwich, NR4 6PP
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Harford Manor School, Norwich Special school · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Colman Infant School Mainstream + base · Ages 5–7 0.6 miles
- The Wherry School Special school · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.7 miles
- Colman Junior School Mainstream + base · Ages 7–11 0.8 miles
Other mainstream schools
Questions about City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy
How many pupils at City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 263 of the 1,685 pupils (15.6%) were getting SEN support and 45 (2.7%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (98 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (54 pupils) and autism (48 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy?
Through Norfolk council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy?
You can ask for City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Colman Infant School, about 0.6 miles away.
Where is City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy?
Eaton Road, Norwich, NR4 6PP, in Norfolk.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.