Copleston High School
Ipswich, IP4 5HD · Suffolk · secondary school
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5th of 43 secondary schools in Suffolk we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 6.9/10 against 884 of them, against 6.9/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 51.3 · 66 | 30% | 1.97 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.34 · 75 | 25% | 1.88 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 48.3 · 62 | 10% | 0.62 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Copleston High School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 48.1% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 46.9, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.34 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better than those nationally who started from the same place. Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so they are not simply a reflection of who attends (6.4 out of 10 against similar schools, 6.6 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted rated the school Good in January 2024.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join Science Club, music groups, and orchestras. Trips include New York, water sports and adventure in France, geography trips to Iceland, and visits to WWI battlefields and cemeteries in Northern France.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,930 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,780. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
What specific support is available for pupils aiming to improve their Progress 8 scores? How are the various music groups and orchestras structured for different skill levels?
What Ofsted said about Copleston High School
Overview
Copleston High School continues to be a good school, maintaining an inclusive ethos where pupils ‘achieve success together’. Leaders have established a calm culture with ‘exemplary’ behaviour, ensuring pupils feel safe and are aspirational for their futures. The school delivers an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum supported by teachers with ‘secure subject expertise’.
Strengths
- The curriculum is ‘very well sequenced’, with teachers checking prior learning and addressing misconceptions to ensure most pupils ‘achieve highly’.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are ‘quickly identified’ and receive expert support, fostering a ‘highly inclusive culture’.
- A specialist unit for pupils with communication and interaction needs helps them integrate socially and make academic progress.
- There is a ‘robust programme of careers information, education, advice and guidance’ starting in Year 7, including work experience placements.
- Leaders are ‘visible and active’, holding staff to account while being ‘supportive and considerate of staff workload and well-being’.
Areas to improve
- The school must work closely with parents and external agencies to ‘secure the high attendance of all groups of pupils’ and reduce persistent absence, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.
- The school should engage effectively with parents and carers to build positive relationships, as their perceptions of SEND provision do not always ‘accurately reflect the quality of provision’.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 49.2 |
| 2024/25 | 46.9 |
| 2025/26 | 48.3 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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