Stowmarket High School
Stowmarket, IP14 1QR · Suffolk · secondary school
Check the area around this school
20th 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 887 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 2.3/10 among them, against 3.8/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 37.8 · 32 | 46% | 1.48 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.03 · 48 | 38% | 1.85 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 42.5 · 32 | 15% | 0.48 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Stowmarket High School overview
How it's doing
Attainment 8 stood at 40.5, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.03 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly worse than peers nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.7 out of 10 among them, against 3.5 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils visit Warner Brothers, Legoland, and the Henry Moore sculpture park, alongside trips to Norwich for art and Southwold for geography.
Getting in
The published school roll is 901 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,200. 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 support is available for Year 10 students preparing for their engineering trip?
What Ofsted said about Stowmarket High School
Overview
Stowmarket High School has made "rapid improvements" since its previous inspection, driven by "intelligent and purposeful actions" from leaders. The report highlights a positive school culture where pupils are "happy," "well cared for," and "confident to be themselves." Teaching quality has improved significantly through expert training, though some inconsistencies in delivering key knowledge remain.
Strengths
- Pupils demonstrate high standards of behaviour, with lessons being "calm" and learning "seldom disrupted."
- Leaders have fostered a supportive environment where staff workload and well-being are "carefully considered."
- Reading is prioritised, with new vocabulary taught explicitly and struggling readers receiving prompt support to become "fluent, confident readers."
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly and "achieve well from their starting points."
- The school offers a "wide variety of clubs," trips, and a strong careers programme to prepare pupils for their next steps.
Areas to improve
- The school must ensure teaching supports all pupils to learn "key subject knowledge securely," as some currently struggle to make links with prior learning.
- Leaders should "remove barriers to participation" so that more pupils can access the broad range of clubs, trips, and visits provided.
Safeguarding
The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 45.4 |
| 2024/25 | 40.5 |
| 2025/26 | 42.5 |
| 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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