School profile

St Alban's Catholic High School

Secondary · Academy converter · Ipswich, IP4 3NJ

Good

Map showing St Alban's Catholic High School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,781 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,586 of 2,536

Worse than 62% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

St Alban's Catholic High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 21 Jan 2020

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils967
GenderMixed
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherHeadteacher Simon Corless
TrustOUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Local authoritySuffolk
Opened01 Feb 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137849.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolSuffolkEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.45.3, similar to England, better than Suffolk42.946.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.62.2%, similar to England, similar to Suffolk60.7%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.38.4%, worse than England, similar to Suffolk40%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.9.3%, worse than England, similar to Suffolk9.5%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths57%, worse than England, similar to Suffolk55.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4172--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolSuffolkEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.31.65, worse than England, similar to Suffolk31.8835
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels32.11, worse than England, similar to Suffolk32.435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better9.8%, worse than England, similar to Suffolk10.7%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.04, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study61--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist---

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils967
Girls514
Boys453
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.19.2%
First language not English40.5%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,061
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.8.9%
Sixth form places2024/25161
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.97
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.29
Average class size20.7

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
35.9%
Other White
18.7%
Other mixed
11.9%
Indian
9.1%
African
8.5%
Other ethnic group
2.9%
White and Black Caribbean
2.7%
Other Black
2.4%
Other Asian
2.1%
White and Black African
1.9%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.1
Teachers (FTE)61.25
Teaching assistants (FTE)12.19
Support staff (FTE)38.88
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2581.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2572.4
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/251.2
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/258

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.164
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.390
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.142
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.129
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)1

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolSuffolkEngland
Overall absence7.2%, better than England, better than Suffolk8.8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.19.3%, better than England, better than Suffolk23.3%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.9%, better than England, better than Suffolk4.4%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate16.7%
Pupils with one or more suspensions7.1%
Permanent exclusion rate0.5%
Permanent exclusions5

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.98.1%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.94.4%
School sixth form76.9%
Further education16.3%
Employment3.1%
Apprenticeship0.6%
Sixth form college0%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.84.8%
Higher education54.3%
Employment17.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.12%
Apprenticeship6.5%
Further education2.2%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near St Alban's Catholic High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.6 miSecondaryCopleston High SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimarySt John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, IpswichVoluntary aided school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryRushmere Hall Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryBritannia Primary School and NurseryAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.8 miPrimarySidegate Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.9 miPrimaryBroke Hall Community Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miSecondaryNorthgate High SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimarySt Mary's Catholic Primary School, IpswichAcademy converter
Outstanding
1.2 miPrimaryClifford Community Primary School & NurseryCommunity school
Requires improvement
1.2 miPrimaryRose Hill PrimaryAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about St Alban's Catholic High School

What is St Alban's Catholic High School's Ofsted rating?

St Alban's Catholic High School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 21 Jan 2020.

How does St Alban's Catholic High School rank in England?

St Alban's Catholic High School ranks 1,781 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools) and 1,586 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 62% of schools).

What are St Alban's Catholic High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 38.4% of pupils at St Alban's Catholic High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 45.3 (England 46.2).

What are St Alban's Catholic High School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at St Alban's Catholic High School was C, and 9.8% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into St Alban's Catholic High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, St Alban's Catholic High School made 164 offers from 390 applications (2.4 per offer), and 129 of 142 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend St Alban's Catholic High School?

St Alban's Catholic High School has 967 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of St Alban's Catholic High School?

St Alban's Catholic High School had 1,061 school places in 2024/25.

Does St Alban's Catholic High School have a sixth form?

Yes, St Alban's Catholic High School has a sixth form with 161 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at St Alban's Catholic High School?

At St Alban's Catholic High School, the average class had 20.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at St Alban's Catholic High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at St Alban's Catholic High School missed 7.2% of sessions (England 8%), and 19.3% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.