Consultation

Have your say: expanding Wymondham High Academy

Enrich Learning Trust is consulting on a proposal to increase the capacity of Wymondham High Academy from 1,610 to 1,900 places. The proposal responds to the growing number of secondary-age children in Wymondham and follows a request from Norfolk County Council. A new building on the school site, funded by the council, will provide a sports hall, design and technology rooms, IT rooms and classrooms.

We want to hear from parents, students, staff, local residents, schools and anyone else with an interest.

Please read the consultation document below & respond either online or by email as detailed below.

The consultation closes at 5pm on Tuesday 10th November 2026

Consultation document

Proposal to increase the capacity of Wymondham High Academy
Consultation: Tuesday 13 October to 5pm Tuesday 10 November 2026

The proposal
Enrich Learning Trust proposes to increase the capacity of Wymondham High Academy from 1,610 to 1,900 places, an increase of 290. The additional capacity is expected to allow the school’s Year 7 admission number to increase in future, phased in from September 2028. Any change to the published admission number will be the subject of a separate consultation on the school’s admission arrangements, and we will invite views at that point. The extra places come from a new building on the existing school site.

Why we are proposing this
The number of secondary-age children in Wymondham is growing, driven by new housing in and around the town. Norfolk County Council forecasts that more secondary places will be needed in the area. The council has asked the school to expand so that local children can continue to get a place at their local secondary school. The expansion is part of the council's plan to make sure there are enough school places in Norfolk.

What is being built
• A new sports hall
• New design and technology teaching rooms
• New IT rooms
• New general classrooms
The building is funded by Norfolk County Council through its basic need capital funding, section 106 developer contributions and the Greater Norwich Development Fund which is government money for creating new school places. It does not come from the school's own budget. Work is due to be completed by 18th October 2027, with the new spaces in use from January 2028.

What would change

• Year 7 places will increase gradually, as each new year group enters, rather than all at once. Students already at the school will not be moved or affected by the change in places.
• Our admissions criteria will not change. Only the number of places will change.
• Students will benefit from better facilities for PE, design and technology, and computing.

Effect on other schools
The additional places are planned to meet growth in the number of local children, not to draw students from other schools. We have shared this proposal with local schools and colleges and invite their views.

Equality
We have considered the impact of this proposal on people with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. The new building will meet current accessibility standards, including step-free access. More local places should help all families, including those of children with SEND and disadvantaged children, to get a place at their local school. We are not aware of any group that would be adversely affected, but we welcome views on this.

What we would like your views on
We welcome views on the proposal as a whole. We would particularly like to hear your views on:

• How the increase in Year 7 places is phased in
• Community use of the new sports hall outside school hours
• Traffic, parking and travel to school as student numbers grow
• Arrangements to keep disruption to a minimum while building work is taking place

How to respond
Online - https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/PHHwDcv2gA 
Email - [email protected] 
Post - Wymondham High Academy
All responses must reach us by 5pm on Tuesday 10th November 2026.

What happens next
The trust will consider every response before deciding whether to proceed. We will then apply to the Department for Education, which makes the final decision. A summary of the responses and how we have taken them into account will be published on the school website.

Chris Smith                  Pete Jordan
Headteacher                Chief Executive Officer
Wymondham High         Academy Enrich Learning Trust