Academy converter · Suffolk

St Alban's Catholic High School

11–18Ages
967Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
Sixth formAges 16–18
137849URN

Digby Road, Ipswich, IP4 3NJ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodJan 2020

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Apr 2025

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.4per place

0.8 above Suffolk median (1.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Suffolk

390 applications for 164 places · 3rd of 41 in Suffolk

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

45.3of 90

Suffolk 43.6 England 46.0

17th of 43 in Suffolk

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodJan 2020

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Apr 2025

The graded inspection, 21 January 2020Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Sixth form provision		Good

Inspection history

24 April 2025
Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
21 January 2020
Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.4applications per place, Year 7

0.8 above Suffolk median (1.6) close to England median (2.2)

390 applications · 164 places offered · 142 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.4; Suffolk median median 1.6
2025 2.5; Suffolk median median 1.6
2024 2.4; Suffolk median median 1.6
2023 2.3; Suffolk median median 1.6
2022 2.3; Suffolk median median 1.6
2021 2.3; Suffolk median median 1.6
2020 1.9; Suffolk median median 1.4
2019 1.7; Suffolk median median 1.5
2018 2.2; Suffolk median median 1.5
2017 2.2; Suffolk median median 1.5
2016 2.4; Suffolk median median 1.5
2015 2.3; Suffolk median median 1.5
2014 2.1; Suffolk median median 1.5

More applications per place than the Suffolk median in 13 of 13 years.

This school
Suffolk median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	164	390	2.4	142	0.87
Sep 2025	172	431	2.5	167	0.97
Sep 2024	169	398	2.4	165	0.98
Sep 2023	147	333	2.3	122	0.83
Sep 2022	144	332	2.3	115	0.80
Sep 2021	156	357	2.3	110	0.71
Sep 2020	168	326	1.9	118	0.70
Sep 2019	165	282	1.7	106	0.64
Sep 2018	168	369	2.2	146	0.87
Sep 2017	168	366	2.2	163	0.97
Sep 2016	167	403	2.4	156	0.93
Sep 2015	164	374	2.3	173	1.05
Sep 2014	164	346	2.1	158	0.96

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

172 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)45.317th of 43 in Suffolk

Suffolk 43.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths38%23rd of 43 in Suffolk

Suffolk 40% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths62%

Suffolk 62% England 66%

This school
Suffolk median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.13

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	172	45.3	38%	62%	–
2024/25	173	46.9	42%	65%	–
2023/24	160	48.9	51%	66%	+0.13
2022/23	160	47.7	46%	71%	+0.10

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Alban's Catholic High SchoolThis school
This school

Standards maintained2025

2.4applications per place 45.3Attainment 8
Copleston High School
1.0 km · Suffolk

Remains Good2023

2.2applications per place 48.3Attainment 8
Northgate High School
1.6 km · Suffolk

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.2applications per place 49.5Attainment 8
Kesgrave High School
3.1 km · Suffolk

Good2022

2.0applications per place 47.0Attainment 8
Ipswich Academy
3.8 km · Suffolk

Requires improvement2024

0.9applications per place 40.3Attainment 8
Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy
4.1 km · Suffolk

2026

1.2applications per place 36.0Attainment 8
Ormiston Endeavour Academy
4.9 km · Suffolk

Remains Good2022

1.3applications per place 40.4Attainment 8
Chantry Academy
5.2 km · Suffolk

Good2024

1.6applications per place 36.7Attainment 8
Westbourne Academy
5.5 km · Suffolk

Special measures Graded · no overall grade2025

1.1applications per place 38.2Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 137849 · 935/4603
Trust: Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Multi Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 1,020 pupils · 967 on roll
Free school meals: 20.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 February 2012
Replaced: St Alban's Catholic High School (URN 124864)
Address: Digby Road, Ipswich, IP4 3NJ
Local authority: Suffolk · Ipswich

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources