Sybil Andrews Academy

Sybil Andrews Academy has made significant strides since its previous inspection, moving from a requires improvement grade to good. The school offers a broad curriculum that effectively prepares pupils for future studies or careers, supported by knowledgeable teachers and well-organized lessons. Pupils generally exhibit good behavior and respect for staff and peers, contributing to a positive learning environment. There are ample opportunities for personal development, including extracurricular activities and career guidance, fostering pupils' independence and well-being.

Strengths

• Broad curriculum preparing pupils for future study or work
• Knowledgeable teachers deliver well-planned lessons
• Strong support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)
• Improved behavior among pupils with clear expectations set
• Comprehensive personal development program

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent checking of pupil understanding leading to some learning gaps
• Not all pupils meet high behavioral expectations consistently

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Sybil Andrews Academy attended 92.2% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 18.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 6.1% of pupils at Sybil Andrews Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Sybil Andrews Academy had 20.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 11.0% of pupils at Sybil Andrews Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 8.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has a SEN unit with 22 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Sybil Andrews Academy received £8,259 and spent £8,623 for each of its 628 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £191,000 (£305 per pupil).

Across all 39 schools of Unity Schools Partnership, income was £8,494 and spending £8,500 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bury St. Edmunds · Suffolk local authority: places and applications

Sybil Andrews Academy is part of Unity Schools Partnership, which runs 40 schools. The nearest others:

• Abbots Green Primary Academy Bury St Edmunds
• Sir Peter Hall School Bury St. Edmunds
• Tollgate Primary School Bury St Edmunds
• Bury St Edmunds County High School Bury St Edmunds
• Wickhambrook Primary Academy Newmarket
• Glemsford Primary Academy Sudbury
• Woodhall Primary School Sudbury
• Ditton Lodge Primary School Newmarket
• West Row Academy Bury St. Edmunds
• Wells Hall Primary School Sudbury

What is Sybil Andrews Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sybil Andrews Academy is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Sybil Andrews Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Sybil Andrews Academy was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Sybil Andrews Academy have?

Sybil Andrews Academy has 657 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sybil Andrews Academy cover?

Sybil Andrews Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Sybil Andrews Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 52.6, and 60% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Sybil Andrews Academy?

Sybil Andrews Academy is at Rougham Tower Avenue, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7QB.