Kesgrave High School
100%
Capacity
1,858
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
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.
Academically, Kesgrave performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.17 means pupils achieve nearly a fifth of a grade more per subject than students nationally with similar starting points, and that's a strong contrast to the Suffolk local authority average of -0.17. In the East Suffolk district, it ranks 1st out of 12 schools on this measure, and nationally it sits in the top 36% of all schools. Attainment 8 sits at 50.6, with 75.2% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the school's value-added score of 0.13 is rated 'Above average', with pupils averaging a C+ grade per entry and a best three A-level grade of B-. The EBacc entry rate is low at 10.7%, which may be a consideration for families who prioritise that qualification route, but the school's overall academic profile is solidly above the regional norm.
The school is well equipped, with facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, a sixth-form centre, and even a chapel. Sports provision is broad, covering football, netball, rugby, hockey, and gymnastics, among others, and there are clubs ranging from gardening and chess to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Model UN. SEND support is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and physical disabilities, among others. With 14.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a reasonably diverse intake. Kesgrave suits families who want a large, well-regarded comprehensive with strong academic outcomes, a wide range of extracurriculars, and a sixth form that adds clear value. Its oversubscription means applying as a first preference is wise.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Main Road, Ipswich, East Suffolk, IP5 2PB |
| Headteacher | Julia Upton |
| Local Authority | Suffolk |
| Number of Pupils | 1,858 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 14.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,858 / 1,850 (100% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
6 Dec 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 2 Feb 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.17)
1138th of 3,141
Nationally
121st of 350
In East of England
1st of 12
In East Suffolk
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
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
35.3
'22/23
33.2
'23/24
33.6
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
2022/2371%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 310 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)71%
- FE college17%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained4%
- Employment3%
96% 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
2022/2350%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 152 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
9%
Russell Group
14%
Top-third HE
2%
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)50%
- Employment35%
- Apprenticeship9%
- Not sustained3%
- Other education2%
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- Business Studies:Single41
- Sociology34
- Biology30
- English Language28
- Mathematics25
- Film Studies23
- History23
- Psychology17
- Chemistry16
- English Literature16
- Government and Politics16
- Physics13
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
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed303
505
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
275 families put this school as their 1st choice (54% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Source: kesgrave.suffolk.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
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 British81.9%
- Mixed7.4%
- White (other)4.5%
- Asian2.8%
- Black0.3%
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.
Half 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.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Kesgrave 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
Main Road, Ipswich
East Suffolk, IP5 2PB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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