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Alde Valley Academy

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy

Seaward Avenue, Leiston IP16 4BG · aldevalley.suffolk.sch.uk · 01728 830570

On the mapSearch near IP16 4BG

Overview

Ofsted
Requires improvement
2019 framework · inspected Jul 2024
GCSEs, 2024/25
33.7
average Attainment 8 score. Suffolk 42.8, England 46
Demand for places
1.0
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
645
85 over 560 places · 115%
Local authority
Suffolk
Sixth form
No
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
32.7%
First language not English
3.3%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Kingfisher Schools Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 93 families put the school first and 95 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 121 (Places 121)121September 2023: 128 (Places 128)128September 2024: 133 (Places 135)133September 2025: 113 (Places 113)113September 2026: 93 (Places 95)93Places 95
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 202695931100%
September 2025Sept 20251131131100%
September 2024Sept 20241351331100%
September 2023Sept 20231281281100%
September 2022Sept 20221211211100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 33.7, and 23.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Suffolk it was 42.8, and across England 46.

In 2017/18 the average A level result was grade D+ (24.8 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: 45.1 (England 46.3)45.12017/18: 42.1 (England 46.5)42.12018/19: 40.6 (England 46.7)40.62021/22: 44.9 (England 48.8)44.92022/23: 35.9 (England 46.3)35.92023/24: 40.6 (England 45.9)40.62024/25: 33.7 (England 46.0)33.7England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼33.746.0
▼23.7%45.4%
▼41.5%64.8%
▼16.3%40.5%
▼3.014.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form43.3+0.4
Further education41.1+6.4
Apprenticeship6.7+1.6
Employment3.3−3.8
Not in a lasting destination4.4−2.7
Activity not captured1.1−0.9

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

15/1616/1717/182015/16: 22.6 (England 30.5)D+2016/17: 23.4 (England 31.1)D+2017/18: 24.8 (England 32.1)D+England 32.1
2017/18TrendAverage gradeProgress
6 studentsD+ (24.8)Average -0.19
6 studentsD+ (24.8)Average -0.19
60.9%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2016/1733D+ (23.4)-0.33
2015/1628D+ (22.6)+0.23

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/18
Left in 2017/18Since 2016/17
University10−25
Other education10+7
Apprenticeship20+5
Employment10−25
Not in a lasting destination30+24
Activity not captured20+14

Ofsted

Alde Valley Academy was judged Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, on 9 July 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.

Overall
Requires improvement
Inspected
9 Jul 2024
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationRequires improvement
Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
Personal developmentRequires improvement
Leadership and managementRequires improvement

Previously: Concerns, ungraded inspection, Feb 2023

Earlier inspections

Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 124819), which Ofsted links to this one.

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Feb 2023Ungraded inspectionConcerns
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

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

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 124819)

What parents said

72% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (47 replies, to 7 April 2025).

Recommend
72%
Replies
47
7% · 7 Apr 2025
Child is happy at school▼74% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe▼81% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼70% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations●83% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼74% agreeEngland 88%
Told what child will learn▼57% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▼76% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▼85% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▲98% agreeEngland 90%
Supports personal development▼64% agreeEngland 80%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼58% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 85% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲58% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 55% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼54% agreeEngland 68%

based on 13 parents (28%) with SEND

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