Open the map

Schools by area › Suffolk › Stowmarket High School

Stowmarket High School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy

Onehouse Road, Stowmarket IP14 1QR · stowhigh.com · 01449 613541

On the mapSearch near IP14 1QR

Overview

Ofsted
No overall grade
2019 framework · inspected Jun 2025
GCSEs, 2024/25
40.5
average Attainment 8 score. Suffolk 42.8, England 46
Demand for places
1.0
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
901
75% of 1,200 places
Local authority
Suffolk
Sixth form
No
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
20.5%
First language not English
4.7%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Kingfisher Schools Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 201 families put the school first and 202 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: 183 (Places 188)183September 2023: 219 (Places 190)219September 2024: 180 (Places 185)180September 2025: 214 (Places 186)214September 2026: 201 (Places 202)201Places 202
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20262022011100%
September 2025Sept 20251862141.2▲85%
September 2024Sept 20241851801100%
September 2023Sept 20231902191.2▲87%
September 2022Sept 20221881831100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 40.5, and 35.4% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Suffolk it was 42.8, and across England 46.

In 2018/19 the average A level result was grade D+ (25 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: 42.6 (England 46.3)42.62018/19: 38.2 (England 46.7)38.22021/22: 44.4 (England 48.8)44.42022/23: 43.0 (England 46.3)43.02023/24: 45.4 (England 45.9)45.42024/25: 40.5 (England 46.0)40.5England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼40.546.0
▼35.4%45.4%
▼58.4%64.8%
▼34.8%40.5%
▼3.524.09

Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 124818)

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form37.8+0.4
Further education47+10.4
Other education0.6−0.9
Apprenticeship3.7−0.9
Employment3−5.4
Not in a lasting destination5.5−3.7
Activity not captured2.4+0.1

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

15/1616/1717/1818/192015/16: 28.1 (England 30.5)C-2016/17: 24.4 (England 31.1)D+2017/18: 27.1 (England 32.1)C-2018/19: 25.0 (England 32.9)D+England 32.9
2018/19TrendAverage gradeProgress
50 studentsD+ (25)Below average -0.43
50 studentsC- (25.1)Below average -0.43
15 studentsDist+ (39.3)—
10.3%AAB or better
96.2%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2017/1862C- (27.1)-0.12
2016/1794D+ (24.4)-0.20
2015/1691C- (28.1)-0.06

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/20
Left in 2019/20Since 2016/17
University53+15
Further and other education5−3
Further education2−2
Other education2−2
Employment300
Not in a lasting destination9−1
Activity not captured20

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected Stowmarket High School on 10 June 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.

Overall
No overall grade
Inspected
10 Jun 2025
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementOutstanding

Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jan 2023

Earlier inspections

Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 124818), which Ofsted links to this one.

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Mar 2024Monitoring visitEffective action
  • Jan 2023Requires improvement
    Quality of educationRequires improvement
    Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Jul 2018Requires improvement
    Leadership and managementGood
    SafeguardingEffective

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 124818)

  • Sept 2015Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    16 to 19 study programmesGood
    SafeguardingEffective

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 124818)

  • Sept 2013Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 124818)

What parents said

91% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (233 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
91%
Replies
233
26% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school●89% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe▲93% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼79% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations●85% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well●88% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼58% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing●84% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▼86% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities●90% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development▼76% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▲85% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 82% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲60% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 40% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need●68% agreeEngland 67%

based on 65 parents (28%) with SEND

Also near this school

All schools in Suffolk