St Alban's Catholic High School
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-18 |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Digby Road Ipswich Suffolk IP4 3NJ |
| Phone | 01473726178 |
| Reference Number | 137849 |
St Alban’s Catholic High School has made significant improvements since its last inspection, raising its overall effectiveness to a good standard. The school fosters a positive atmosphere rooted in Christian values, encouraging respect, caring, and learning among its pupils. Students feel safe, supported, and are motivated to succeed, with strong attendance and good behavior observed throughout. The leadership is committed to continuous improvement, and there are effective measures in place to support pupils with special educational needs and disadvantages.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 996 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 47.59%
Girls: 52.41% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 20.9% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 37.9% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 21.3 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 86 | 88 | 174 |
| 8 | 83 | 89 | 172 |
| 9 | 84 | 88 | 172 |
| 10 | 76 | 96 | 172 |
| 11 | 81 | 93 | 174 |
| 12 | 31 | 45 | 76 |
| 13 | 33 | 23 | 56 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 38.9% |
| White, Other | 17.3% |
| Mixed, Other | 10.5% |
| Indian | 8.8% |
| African | 7.1% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 3.1% |
| Asian, Other | 2.2% |
| White & Black (African) | 2.1% |
| White & Asian | 1.2% |
| Caribbean | 1% |
| Irish | 0.6% |
| Unclassified | 0.5% |
| Chinese | 0.2% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Good |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Good |
| > Sixth Form Provision | Good |
| Last Report Date | 21 Jan 2020 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 23 Apr 2025 | School inspection |
| 21 Jan 2020 | School inspection: |
| 19 Sep 2017 | Full inspection: |
| 16 May 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 10 Aug 2012 | Academy conversion letter |
| 25 Nov 2009 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as St Alban's Catholic High School | |
| 25 Nov 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 26 Feb 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 26 Feb 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 10 Feb 2003 | Full inspection |
| 10 Feb 2003 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils demonstrate strong attitudes towards learning and respect for others.
- The school has a well-structured curriculum in most subjects.
- Teachers possess strong subject knowledge and consistently high expectations.
- The special educational needs team is highly effective.
- A comprehensive personal development program is in place for pupils.
- Pupils are actively engaged in extracurricular activities and charitable initiatives.
- Sixth-form leadership has improved, leading to more students achieving places at high-ranking universities.
Areas for Improvement
- Not all key stage 3 subject plans are clear, particularly in history.
- Some sixth-form students struggle with punctuality to lessons.
- Communication from leaders about school improvement could be clearer.
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) |
|---|---|---|
| 46.9 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 41.6% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 59% |
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.
Sample
UnlockPoints
| Points | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Points | 31.43 | ||
| Average Points (best 3) | 32.11 |
Grades
| School | Local | Nationwide | |
| Average Grade | C | C+ | C+ |
| Average Grade (best 3) | C+ | C+ | C+ |
| Percentage | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students getting AAB or better | 9.8% |
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 166 | 25 |
| Third Preference | 98 | 7 |
| From another Local Authority | 1 | 0 |
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 |
|
St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Ipswich
Victory Road, St John's CEVA Primary School, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 4LE |
0.66 miles |
|
Rushmere Hall Primary School
Lanark Road, Rushmere Hall Primary School, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 3EJ |
0.72 miles |
|
Britannia Primary School and Nursery
Britannia Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 5HE |
0.76 miles |
|
Sidegate Primary School
Sidegate Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 4JD |
0.84 miles |
|
Broke Hall Community Primary School
Chatsworth Drive, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 5XD |
0.87 miles |
|
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Ipswich
Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 4EU |
1.04 miles |
|
Clifford Road Primary School & Nursery
Clifford Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1PJ |
1.17 miles |
|
Rose Hill Primary
Derby Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 8DL |
1.2 miles |
|
Heath Primary School, Kesgrave
Bell Lane, Kesgrave, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP5 1JG |
1.4 miles |
|
St Helen's Primary School
Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2LT |
1.52 miles |
|
Murrayfield Primary - A Paradigm Academy
Nacton Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9JL |
1.6 miles |
|
St Margaret's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Ipswich
Bolton Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2BT |
1.73 miles |
|
Cliff Lane Primary School
Cliff Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 0PJ |
1.82 miles |
|
Cedarwood Primary School
Wilkinson Drive, Kesgrave, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP5 2ES |
1.83 miles |
|
Piper's Vale Primary - A Paradigm Academy
Raeburn Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 0EW |
2.2 miles |
|
St Matthew's Church of England Primary School, Ipswich
Portman Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2AX |
2.28 miles |
|
Ravenswood Community Primary School
Ravenswood Avenue, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9UA |
2.34 miles |
|
Hillside Primary School
Belstead Avenue, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 8NU |
2.43 miles |
|
Dale Hall Community Primary School
Dale Hall Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 4LX |
2.46 miles |
|
Morland Church of England Primary School
Morland Road, Ipswich, IP3 0LH |
2.48 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Copleston High School
Copleston Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 5HD |
0.65 miles |
|
Northgate High School
Sidegate Lane West, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 3DL |
1.01 miles |
|
Woodbridge Road Academy
50 Russet Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2EB |
1.21 miles |
|
Suffolk New College
Rope Walk, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1LT |
1.61 miles |
|
Learning Support, Southern Area Education Office
St Andrew House, Ipswich, IP4 1LJ |
1.65 miles |
|
Sir Bobby Robson School
Lindbergh Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9FA |
1.87 miles |
|
Kesgrave High School
Main Road, Kesgrave, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP5 2PB |
1.89 miles |
|
New Skill Centre
Wolsey House, 2-5 The Drift, Nacton Road, Ipswich, IP3 9QR |
1.97 miles |
|
Ipswich School
Henley Road, Ipswich, IP1 3SG |
2.06 miles |
|
Ipswich Academy
Braziers Wood Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 0SP |
2.35 miles |
|
Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy
Maidenhall Approach, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 8PL |
2.57 miles |
|
Ormiston Endeavour Academy
Defoe Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 6SG |
3.02 miles |
|
Stone Lodge Academy
Stone Lodge Lane West, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 9HW |
3.09 miles |
|
St Joseph's College
Belstead Road, Ipswich, IP2 9DR |
3.11 miles |
|
Chantry Academy
Mallard Way, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 9LR |
3.25 miles |
|
Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy
Defoe Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 6SG |
3.38 miles |
|
Westbourne Academy
Marlow Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 5JN |
3.42 miles |
|
Orwell Park School
Nacton, Ipswich, IP10 0ER |
3.85 miles |
|
Ipswich High School
|
4.17 miles |
|
One Sixth Form College
Scrivener Drive, Pinewood, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP8 3SU |
4.23 miles |