St Alban's Catholic High School
Ipswich, IP4 3NJ · Suffolk · secondary school
Check the area around this school
15th of 43 secondary schools in Suffolk we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 876 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 3.5/10 among them, against 4.5/10 nationally. 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 | 38.4 · 33 | 30% | 1.00 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.13 · 59 | 25% | 1.48 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 45.3 · 46 | 10% | 0.46 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
St Alban's Catholic High School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 41.6% 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 +0.13 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better than those nationally who started from the same place. Ofsted rated the school Good in May 2025. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.4 out of 10 among them, against 5.2 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 967 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,020. 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
How does the school support pupils to close the gap between their current attainment and the national median? What specific steps are taken to improve progress scores for students from similar backgrounds? How does the recent Ofsted inspection influence current teaching strategies?
What Ofsted said about St Alban's Catholic High School
Overview
St Alban’s Catholic High School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at its previous inspection. Pupils enjoy attending this ‘welcoming and inclusive’ school, where behaviour strongly reflects high expectations of ‘learning, respecting, and caring’. The school provides an ambitious curriculum and enriching opportunities that support pupils’ all-round development and preparation for future society.
Strengths
- Pupils ‘behave extremely well at all times’ and show ‘deep engagement in their learning’.
- The curriculum is ‘well embedded and ambitious’, with content carefully sequenced to help pupils build knowledge.
- Staff effectively support vulnerable pupils, including those with SEND, who ‘achieve well’ due to ‘tenacious’ support.
- Attendance and punctuality have ‘improved significantly’ through effective work with families.
- Pupils benefit from diverse extra-curricular activities and leadership roles, such as the ‘nerd’ club and school council.
Areas to improve
- In some subjects, teaching occasionally does not build well on pupils’ prior knowledge, affecting how deeply some groups learn subject-specific content. The school should ensure learning activities build effectively on prior knowledge to deepen understanding.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 48.9 |
| 2024/25 | 46.9 |
| 2025/26 | 45.3 |
| 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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