Norwich School
Same Norfolk area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
Red Balloon - Norwich is a private secondary-stage school in Norwich, Norfolk, with a published age range of 11-17.
Private school Co-ed Ages 11-17 Sixth form No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-17
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
Red Balloon - Norwich
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-17
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Re-engagement is the centre of Red Balloon - Norwich, where small classes are designed for young people who have struggled to access mainstream education. The co-educational 11-to-17 provision works with pupils who all have SEND, so confidence, attendance and renewed participation sit alongside academic progress from the outset.
A high staff-to-student ratio sits alongside counselling, an on-site wellbeing listening service, key-adult support and bespoke timetables. The academic, vocational and wellbeing programme includes English, mathematics, science, humanities, ICT and GCSE options, as well as ASDAN, Arts Award, games development, animal care and child development.
A blended intervention can support pupils who cannot initially attend the centre. The Young Apprenticeship Scheme and careers work address progression beyond compulsory schooling, while the small setting leaves room to adjust support around individual circumstances. This is specialist provision for re-engagement, not a conventional mainstream secondary experience.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 9.1% grade 5+ in English and maths and 16.5 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Norfolk and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 16.5
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 9.1%
- EBacc APS
- 1.38
- EBacc entry
- 9.1%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Norfolk and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 11-17
- Coordinator
- Mr Mark Anderson
- Pupil roll
- 39 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- 289 Drayton Road, Norwich, Norfolk
- Postcode
- NR3 2PW
- Area
- Norfolk
School leadership
- Coordinator
- Mr Mark Anderson
School contact
- School phone
- 01603622288
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01603622288
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-17
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 16.5 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 18.2% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 9.1% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 1.38 EBacc APS
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 14 October 2025
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2025 records an inspection beginning 14 October 2025. The report says the relevant standards were met.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
Nearby schools families also consider
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Norwich Steiner School
Same Norfolk area with a comparable local commute
Langley School
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Gresham's School
Same Norfolk area with a comparable local commute
Nearby schools with similar results
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
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OMG Education
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Shortlist comparisons
Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Red Balloon - Norwich handle admissions?
Red Balloon - Norwich handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Red Balloon - Norwich?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Red Balloon - Norwich?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Red Balloon - Norwich?
Red Balloon - Norwich is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 14 October 2025.