Open the map

Schools by area › Suffolk › St Alban's Catholic High School

St Alban's Catholic High School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Digby Road, Ipswich IP4 3NJ · st-albans.suffolk.sch.uk · 01473 726178

On the mapSearch near IP4 3NJ

Overview

Ofsted
Good
2019 framework · inspected Jan 2020
GCSEs, 2024/25
46.9
average Attainment 8 score. Suffolk 42.8, England 46
Demand for places
0.9
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
967
95% of 1,020 places
Local authority
Suffolk
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
20.6%
First language not English
40.5%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Multi Academy Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 142 families put the school first and 164 places were offered; 91% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 115 (Places 144)115September 2023: 122 (Places 147)122September 2024: 165 (Places 169)165September 2025: 167 (Places 172)167September 2026: 142 (Places 164)142Places 164
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20261641420.991%
September 2025Sept 2025172167184%
September 2024Sept 2024169165184%
September 2023Sept 20231471220.8100%
September 2022Sept 20221441150.8100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 46.9, and 41.6% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Suffolk it was 42.8, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (31.7 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 45.3 (England 46.3)45.32017/18: 51.5 (England 46.5)51.52018/19: 48.2 (England 46.7)48.22021/22: 51.1 (England 48.8)51.12022/23: 47.7 (England 46.3)47.72023/24: 48.9 (England 45.9)48.92024/25: 46.9 (England 46.0)46.9England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
●46.946.0
▼41.6%45.4%
●65.3%64.8%
▼22.5%40.5%
●3.994.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form76.9+6.2
Further education16.3−3.5
Other education1.3+0.7
Apprenticeship0.6−3
Employment3.1—
Activity not captured1.9+0.1

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 28.6 (England 30.5)C2016/17: 26.5 (England 31.1)C-2017/18: 26.3 (England 32.1)C-2018/19: 26.6 (England 32.9)C-2021/22: 35.0 (England 37.9)B-2022/23: 25.7 (England 34.2)C-2023/24: 26.5 (England 34.4)C-2024/25: 31.7 (England 35.0)CEngland 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
51 studentsC (31.7)Average -0.04
52 studentsC (31.4)Average -0.03
11 studentsDist- (30.1)Average -0.44
9.8%AAB or better
91.5%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2489C- (26.5)-0.31
2022/2375C- (25.7)—
2021/2243B- (35)—
2018/1963C- (26.6)-0.13
2017/1889C- (26.3)-0.08
2016/17109C- (26.5)-0.11
2015/1692C (28.6)+0.11

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University54.3−13.1
Further and other education6.6+1.9
Further education2.2−0.1
Other education4.3+2
Apprenticeship6.5—
Employment17.4+1.1
Not in a lasting destination12+9.7
Activity not captured3.3−6

Ofsted

St Alban's Catholic High School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 21 January 2020, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework. An ungraded inspection in Apr 2025 found: Standards maintained.

Outcome
Standards maintained
Inspected
23 Apr 2025
Ungraded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jan 2020

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Jan 2020Good
    Quality of educationGood
    Behaviour and attitudesGood
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    Sixth formGood
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Sept 2017Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareGood
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    16 to 19 study programmesRequires improvement
    SafeguardingEffective
  • May 2013Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood

What parents said

87% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (78 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
87%
Replies
78
8% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school●91% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe▲93% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼80% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼81% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼82% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼54% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▼72% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects●91% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities●89% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development▼72% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▲80% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 81% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲72% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 53% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▲74% agreeEngland 67%

based on 19 parents (24%) with SEND

Also near this school

All schools in Suffolk