Bury St Edmunds County High School
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Beetons Way Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP32 6RF |
| Phone | 01284754857 |
| Reference Number | 136990 |
Bury St Edmunds County Upper School has made significant strides since its previous inadequate inspection, achieving a good rating overall. The quality of education provided is commendable, supported by a well-structured curriculum and effective teaching. Although most pupils feel safe and their educational needs are well met, concerns remain regarding behaviour management across the school, particularly in the sixth form, which has impacted the learning environment negatively for some students. Despite these challenges, the school demonstrates a clear vision for continuous improvement and has successfully established a high-quality PSHE curriculum.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 739 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 52.37%
Girls: 47.63% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 24.1% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 10.1% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 26.1 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 36 | 57 | 93 |
| 8 | 73 | 66 | 139 |
| 9 | 72 | 78 | 150 |
| 10 | 108 | 81 | 189 |
| 11 | 98 | 70 | 168 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 79.4% |
| White, Other | 6.5% |
| Unclassified | 3.4% |
| African | 3% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.4% |
| White & Asian | 1.5% |
| Chinese | 0.8% |
| Indian | 0.8% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.8% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.1% |
| Asian, Other | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Requires Improvement |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Good |
| > Sixth Form Provision | Good |
| Last Report Date | 15 Mar 2022 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2022 | School inspection: |
| 30 Jun 2021 | Monitoring visit |
| 25 Feb 2021 | Monitoring visit |
| 05 Nov 2020 | Monitoring visit |
| 03 Jul 2019 | Monitoring visit |
| 16 Jan 2019 | Full inspection: |
| 18 Sep 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 14 Feb 2012 | Academy conversion letter |
| 07 Jan 2011 | Interim assessment |
| Previously as Bury St Edmunds County Upper School | |
| 07 Jan 2011 | Interim assessment |
| 12 May 2009 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 12 May 2009 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 06 Feb 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 06 Feb 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 13 Oct 2003 | Full inspection |
| 13 Oct 2003 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- High-quality education with a well-structured curriculum
- Strong support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) pupils
- Effective PSHE curriculum promoting mature debate and respectful dialogue
- Sixth form students act as excellent role models
- Broad range of enrichment experiences available for all year groups
- Robust safeguarding culture in place
Areas for Improvement
- Significant minority of pupils show poor behaviour that disrupts learning
- Inconsistent application of behaviour management systems
- High levels of persistent absence, particularly among vulnerable groups
- Lack of effective communication and collaboration with some parents
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 49.8 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 53% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 63.7% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 86 | 16 |
| Third Preference | 66 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 6 | 1 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
Tollgate Primary School
Tollgate Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 6DG |
0.26 miles |
|
St Edmundsbury CofE Primary Academy
Grove Road, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3BJ |
0.49 miles |
|
Howard Community Academy
Beard Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 6SA |
0.55 miles |
|
Sexton's Manor Primary School
Greene Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3HG |
0.84 miles |
|
Westgate Community Primary School and Nursery
Brooklands Close, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3JX |
1.15 miles |
|
Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School
Bridewell Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1RE |
1.18 miles |
|
St Edmund's Catholic Primary School
Westgate Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1QG |
1.21 miles |
|
Sebert Wood Community Primary School
Sebert Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7EG |
1.83 miles |
|
Hardwick Primary School
Steward Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 2PW |
1.84 miles |
|
South Lee School
Nowton Road, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 2BT |
2.14 miles |
|
Abbots Green Primary Academy
Airfield Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7PJ |
2.22 miles |
|
Ickworth Park Primary School
Meadow Drive, Horringer, Meadow Drive, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP29 5SB |
2.66 miles |
|
Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Aylmer Close, Risby, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 6RT |
2.97 miles |
|
Great Barton Church of England Primary Academy
School Road, Great Barton, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2RJ |
3.07 miles |
|
Great Whelnetham Church of England Primary School
Stanningfield Road, Great Whelnetham, Bury St. Edmunds, IP30 0UA |
4.38 miles |
|
Rougham Church of England Primary School
Church Road, Rougham, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP30 9JJ |
4.55 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
St Benedict's Catholic School
Beetons Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 6RH |
0.11 miles |
|
King Edward VI CEVC School
Grove Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3BH |
0.4 miles |
|
West Suffolk College
Out Risbygate, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3RL |
0.52 miles |
|
Abbeygate Sixth Form College
Beetons Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3YU |
0.57 miles |
|
Priory School
Mount Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7BH |
1.23 miles |
|
Learning Support, Western Area Education Office
New Shire Hall, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 2AR |
1.37 miles |
|
Sir Peter Hall School
Airfield Road, Bury St. Edmunds, IP32 7PJ |
2.24 miles |
|
Riverwalk School
Mayfield Road, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 2PD |
2.28 miles |
|
Sybil Andrews Academy
Rougham Tower Avenue, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7QB |
2.54 miles |
|
Culford School
|
3.15 miles |
|
Thurston Community College
Norton Road, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 3PB |
4.55 miles |