Bury St Edmunds County High School
72%
Capacity
739
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About Bury St Edmunds County High School
Bury St Edmunds County High School is a mixed state secondary for 11 to 16 year olds in the Suffolk local authority, serving the West Suffolk area. It sits third out of twelve schools of its type in the West Suffolk district, placing it in the top quarter locally. The top-performing peers in the area are Debenham High School, Stradbroke High School, and Northgate High School, all of which rank higher on Progress 8. Across the wider Suffolk LA, the school ranks 15th out of 48 similar schools. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated the school Good overall, a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2019. That turnaround reflects stronger leadership and management, which were also rated Good, though behaviour and attitudes still require improvement. The school has a capacity of 1,020 but currently houses 739 pupils, and it is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 228 applications for 98 places, with 76 first-preference offers made.
Academically, the school’s Progress 8 score is -0.09, which is rated as Average and sits above the Suffolk LA average of -0.17. Pupils achieve an Attainment 8 score of 46.2, and 69.9% of students secure a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 62.4%, with 43% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In maths, Progress 8 is 0.01, and in English it is 0.02, both effectively in line with national averages. The school does not have a sixth form, but its small cohort of 17 students taking A-levels elsewhere achieved a value-added score of 0.45, which is well above average, with an average grade of B per entry. The school’s EBacc average point score is 4.34, and its overall Progress 8 banding is Average, placing it in the bottom 50 nationally by this metric.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, art studios, and a chapel. Sports on offer include hockey, cricket, rugby, rowing, and netball, while clubs range from chess and debate to eco club and coding. SEND provisions cover a broad spectrum, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. With 24.1% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively diverse intake. It is oversubscribed, so families should be prepared for competition at entry. The nearest outstanding-rated school is Abbeygate Sixth Form College, just 0.9 km away, which may appeal to students looking to continue post-16. This school suits families who value a Good-rated, improving secondary with strong facilities and a broad extracurricular offer, and who are comfortable with its average Progress 8 outcomes.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Beetons Way, Bury St Edmunds, West Suffolk, IP32 6RF |
| Headteacher | Sally Kennedy |
| Local Authority | Suffolk |
| Number of Pupils | 739 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.1% |
| School Capacity | 739 / 1,020 (72% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
15 Mar 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 15 May 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.09)
1749th of 3,141
Nationally
199th of 350
In East of England
3rd of 12
In West Suffolk
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
33.3
'22/23
29.2
'23/24
41.1
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2349%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 249 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)49%
- FE college43%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained2%
- Apprenticeship1%
98% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2351%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 115 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
22%
Russell Group
23%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)51%
- Employment29%
- Not sustained6%
- Further education5%
- Apprenticeship4%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics23
- Biology17
- Psychology16
- Chemistry13
- History11
- Physics10
- Geography9
- English Language8
- German7
- Government and Politics7
- Sociology7
- Computer Studies / Computing6
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed98
228
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
76 families put this school as their 1st choice (33% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British79.4%
- White (other)6.5%
- Mixed4.8%
- Asian1.8%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
9
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
4
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bury St Edmunds County High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Beetons Way, Bury St Edmunds
West Suffolk, IP32 6RF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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