Free schools · Suffolk

Beccles High School

11–16Ages
182Pupils
SecondaryPhase
138274URN

Castle Hill, Beccles, NR34 7BQ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jun 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.2per place

0.6 above Suffolk median (1.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Suffolk

89 applications for 40 places · small intake, not ranked

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

25.4of 90

Suffolk 43.6 England 46.0

43rd of 43 in Suffolk

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 30 June 2026Published 7 September 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion			Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching			Expected standard
Achievement				Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour			Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing			Expected standard
Early years	Does not apply to this school
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Strong standard

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

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

30 June 2026
Report card · 1 Strong standard, 4 Expected standard, 1 Needs attention
7 February 2024
Graded inspection: Requires improvement

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

2.2applications per place, Year 7

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

89 applications · 40 places offered · 39 named it first

Small intakeFewer than 60 places, so not ranked.

2026 2.2; Suffolk median median 1.6
2025 2.1; Suffolk median median 1.6
2024 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.6
2023 2.1; Suffolk median median 1.6
2022 2.2; Suffolk median median 1.6
2021 2.4; Suffolk median median 1.6
2020 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.4
2019 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.5
2018 2.7; Suffolk median median 1.5
2017 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.5
2016 2.6; Suffolk median median 1.5
2015 2.0; Suffolk median median 1.5
2014 2.0; 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	40	89	2.2	39	0.98
Sep 2025	28	58	2.1	28	1.00
Sep 2024	30	53	1.8	28	0.93
Sep 2023	29	62	2.1	29	1.00
Sep 2022	41	89	2.2	40	0.98
Sep 2021	41	99	2.4	40	0.98
Sep 2020	53	97	1.8	45	0.85
Sep 2019	62	114	1.8	56	0.90
Sep 2018	26	69	2.7	23	0.88
Sep 2017	46	81	1.8	44	0.96
Sep 2016	35	92	2.6	32	0.91
Sep 2015	80	158	2.0	76	0.95
Sep 2014	76	155	2.0	68	0.89

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

50 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)25.443rd of 43 in Suffolk

Suffolk 43.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths10%43rd of 43 in Suffolk

Suffolk 40% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths28%

Suffolk 62% England 66%

This school
Suffolk median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−1.15

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	50	25.4	10%	28%	–
2024/25	67	27.6	18%	31%	–
2023/24	71	30.9	17%	41%	−1.15
2022/23	47	28.4	19%	34%	−1.68

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

Beccles High SchoolThis school
This school

2026

2.2applications per place 25.4Attainment 8
Sir John Leman High School
1.0 km · Suffolk

2026

1.6applications per place 46.7Attainment 8
Bungay High School
8.9 km · Suffolk

2026

1.5applications per place 42.1Attainment 8
Pakefield High School
10.3 km · Suffolk

Good2023

1.7applications per place 42.3Attainment 8
East Point Academy
10.7 km · Suffolk

2026

1.4applications per place 49.2Attainment 8
Hobart High School
11.1 km · Norfolk

Good2023

1.4applications per place 46.3Attainment 8
Benjamin Britten Academy of Music and Mathematics
11.9 km · Suffolk

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.3applications per place 46.6Attainment 8
Ormiston Denes Academy
12.7 km · Suffolk

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.7applications per place 37.7Attainment 8
Ormiston Venture Academy
15.9 km · Norfolk

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.8applications per place 45.7Attainment 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: Free schools
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 138274 · 935/4016
Trust: Sapientia Education Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 600 pupils · 182 on roll
Free school meals: 50.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: SEN unit
Opened: 2 September 2012
Address: Castle Hill, Beccles, NR34 7BQ
Local authority: Suffolk · East Suffolk

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