Classpot

Kesgrave High School

East Suffolk, IP5 2PBSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Dec 2022
Progress 8
+0.17
Above average
−20+2
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
275 1st-choice / 303 places
Ranking
#1,138
of 3,141 nationally

About Kesgrave High School

Kesgrave High School is a popular choice among Suffolk families, and the numbers back that up. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 505 applications for 303 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.67. Of those, 271 offers went to first-preference applicants, out of 275 who put it top of their list, meaning nearly every family who wanted it most got a place. While the school doesn't publish a formal parent recommendation percentage, the sheer volume of applications and the high first-preference success rate suggest strong local confidence. The school is a mixed, non-religious state secondary for ages 11 to 18, led by headteacher Julia Upton, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2022 rated it Good across every category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. That's a clean sweep of Good ratings, consistent with its previous inspection in 2013.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressMain Road, Ipswich, East Suffolk, IP5 2PB
HeadteacherJulia Upton
Local AuthoritySuffolk
Number of Pupils1,858
Free School Meals (FSM)14.5%
School Capacity1,858 / 1,850 (100% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

6 Dec 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 2 Feb 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

12
Swimming PoolPlaying FieldsSports HallAstro TurfDining HallArt StudiosMusic RoomsTennis CourtsSixth Form CentreScience LabsGymnasiumChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

19

Sports

FootballNetballRoundersBadmintonBasketballTennisGymnasticsRugbyAthleticsHockey

Clubs & Activities

GardeningArt ClubDuke of EdinburghDebateDramaChessYoung EnterpriseChoirModel United Nations

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultySevere LearningMulti-SensoryOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Source: kesgrave.suffolk.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Kesgrave High School

Kesgrave High School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.