The Open Academy
Academy sponsor led secondary school in Norwich (Norfolk).
Location
iSchool location from Get Information about Schools. Nearby schools are coloured by phase. Open Map+ for a full-screen map with neighbourhood deprivation (England only).About
I am delighted to have joined this wonderful community as Principal, and to have the opportunity to lead the academy into its next exciting chapter. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege to witness the transformative power education has to change lives, building not only knowledge but also confidence, resilience, and character.
What drew me to The Open Academy is the care, ambition, and sense of belonging that runs through the school. As a Church of England academy, we are rooted in the belief that every young person deserves to experience "life in all its fullness" (John 10:10).
Our values — Aspiration, Respect and Perseverance — guide how we work together, ensuring that every student is nurtured, challenged, and supported to be their very best. We are a community that welcomes everyone, whether from a Christian background, another faith, or no faith at all. What matters to us is that every student feels seen, valued, and empowered to succeed.
Joining such a welcoming community has reminded me that we are all called to serve with humility, courage, and a heart for others, trusting that through faith and hard work, we can shape a brighter future together.
In the school’s own words, from the school website.
Enrichment
7 activitiesiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Book Club
- Drama
- Film Club
- Football
- Photography
- Rugby
- Textiles
Awards
3 awardsiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Anti-Bullying CharterRecognised award
- Healthy Eating AwardRecognised award
- Healthy SchoolsHealth and wellbeing
Key facts
- URN
- 135650
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Sixth form
- Does not have a sixth form
- Local authority
- Norfolk
- Constituency
- Norwich North
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 2008
Governing body (8 current, 1 former)
iAcademy trust: local governing body and trust board.1 governor is linked to a profile (all confirmed).
Governors marked “Confirmed same person” have exactly the same forename and surname as the only officer of that name at the school’s own academy trust company on the Companies House register, so we treat them as the same person. The governance record itself comes from DfE.
Leadership
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Bruce Gordon | Chair of Local Governing Body | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Mr Nick Plater Former | Chair of Local Governing Body | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2018 · term ended 2026 |
Full governing body
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reverend Julian Bryant | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Mrs Caroline Hutton | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Mr Duncan Anderson Brown Confirmed same person | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Mrs Rachael Judd | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Mr Callum Perry | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Sarah Napthen | Local Governor | Elected by school staff | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mr Dan Bagshaw | Local Governor | Ex-officio by virtue of office as headteacher/principal | since 2025 |
Source: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (governance records, as at 25 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Names are shown as published; there are no addresses or contact details. Current and former are worked out from term end dates when the page loads. Object or ask for removal · Report an issue with this record