School Chooser

Hadleigh High School

Secondary · ages 11-16MixedAcademy712 pupilsIpswichSuffolk
School Chooser Score
31
Below
similar schools
Likely range 23 to 41
Out of 100. Better than 28% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
Strong pass in English and maths40%England 46%
Attendance90.5%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families23%A bit fewer than most schools
Places158 spare712 pupils, 870 places
Pupils per teacher17.3School workforce census
Pupils on roll712Census January 2026

Hadleigh High School is a converter academy in Ipswich for boys and girls aged 11 to 16. It has 712 pupils and room for 870. About 23 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 31 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 28% of the 50 schools most like it.

Highlands Road, Hadleigh, Ipswich, IP7 5HU01473 823496hadleighhigh.netMrs Nicola Shingleton headteacherAll details

Ofsted

Ofsted hasn't published an inspection for this school yet.

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

156 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score43.6
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths40%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths64%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-0.16In each subject, pupils here finished a little behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 46.546.520182019: 44.044.020192022: 47.847.820222023: 46.346.320232024: 44.644.620242025: 43.643.62025
Since 2018: -2.9Steady overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018SuffolkEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11156165139137133134
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 843.644.646.347.844.046.543.446.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-0.16-0.01-0.38-0.35+0.06
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths40%38%40%45%34%40%40%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths64%62%63%78%60%63%62%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score3.793.854.094.184.024.103.764.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry26%24%35%31%38%26%28%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged36.837.538.532.338.334.2
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged45.146.348.049.945.748.4
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers27.530.429.128.726.3
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers63.566.363.153.660.7

Subjects

Results came out for 19 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

French93%grades 9 to 5, England 60% · 123rd of 1,974 schools
German95%grades 9 to 5, England 63%
Food Preparation & Nutrition71%grades 9 to 5, England 52%
Religious Studies72%grades 9 to 5, England 60%

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Business (31% here, 51% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, 2 languages, computer science.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics153 entries · 26th of 42 in Suffolk
45%England 53%
English Language153 entries · 23rd of 42 in Suffolk
48%England 54%
English Literature148 entries · 16th of 42 in Suffolk
57%England 58%
Combined Science115 entries · 22nd of 41 in Suffolk
31%England 36%
Geography81 entries · 8th of 42 in Suffolk
54%England 51%
Art and Design80 entries · 22nd of 40 in Suffolk
55%England 58%
History61 entries · 16th of 42 in Suffolk
49%England 52%
Social Studies30 entries · 8th of 17 in Suffolk
47%England 54%
Biology30 entries · 18th of 31 in Suffolk
87%England 82%
Chemistry29 entries · 18th of 31 in Suffolk
83%England 81%
Business29 entries · 17th of 24 in Suffolk
31%England 51%
Physics29 entries · 18th of 31 in Suffolk
86%England 82%
French28 entries · 1st of 24 in Suffolk
93%England 60%
German19 entries
95%England 63%
56%England 56%
72%England 60%
71%England 52%
53%England 50%
50%England 56%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics1539%45%67%53%2,075 of 3,211
English Language15317%48%74%54%1,905 of 3,210
English Literature1489%57%74%58%1,520 of 3,202
Combined Science1155%31%60%36%1,763 of 3,084
Geography8115%54%68%51%1,120 of 3,116
Art and Design8010%55%69%58%1,602 of 2,818
History6121%49%62%52%1,666 of 3,126
Social Studies3013%47%63%54%663 of 1,043
Biology3037%87%97%82%1,318 of 2,570
Chemistry2941%83%100%81%1,455 of 2,537
Business290%31%59%51%1,462 of 1,806
Physics2945%86%97%82%1,309 of 2,546
French2846%93%100%60%123 of 1,974
German1947%95%100%63%
Physical Education1822%56%67%56%
Religious Studies1828%72%94%60%
Food Preparation & Nutrition176%71%100%52%
Design & Technology176%53%71%50%
Computer Science1429%50%57%56%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 3 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
36.845.1
Gap 8.3England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
24%44%
Gap 20 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
39.847.3
Gap 7.5England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Open to all. There is no entrance test.

Plenty of spare places725 pupils for 870 places, 2024/25
83% full

145 places were empty (17% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 4% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Suffolk council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll712Census January 2026
Places87082% full
Pupils from low-income families23%23% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English5%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support18%128 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%32 pupils with a plan
Average class size21.527 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils4%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)23%£183,700 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls351 / 361
White British pupils84%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (39), Autistic spectrum disorder (31), Moderate learning difficulty (31), Specific learning difficulty (21), language and communications needs (17), Other difficulty or disability (7).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll712731769763758748
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals23%22%20%18%15%12%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language5%5%4%4%3%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support18%16%12%8%10%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%2%3%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 90.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance90.5%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school25.5%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils16.12024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence9.6%10.3%10.2%10.7%5.8%5.3%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence7.0%7.7%7.7%8.6%5.1%4.1%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.6%2.7%2.4%2.1%0.6%1.1%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence25.5%28.5%30.8%32.7%18.9%12.9%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate16.118.39.011.74.6
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00010

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 139 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training91%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 80%, compared with 93% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training91%94%96%96%
Education82%85%87%86%
Apprenticeship6%4%6%6%
Work2%5%3%4%
Not in education, work or training8%4%3%4%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers41.2full-time equivalent, 46 people
Pupils per teacher17.3Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers98%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants10.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£47,461
Teachers who left in the year13%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher4.42024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£8,199England £7,965. Total £6.0m
Income per pupil£8,719England £8,423. Total £6.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,540England £4,444
Money in reserve17%A healthy amount put by: £1.1m, £1,466 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£380kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£8,199spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m3612 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate44 per 1,000 people52% lower than the England average
Typical house price£328,000Babergh
Nearest bus stop70 mHigh School, 11 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored

No other schools of this phase within 8 km.

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Hadleigh High School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats28%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 31 is 15 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 46 · highest 88100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Hadleigh High School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
East Bergholt High SchoolAcademy5.1 miles902Good 202359Compare
Claydon High SchoolAcademy7.8 miles765Report card 202543Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 31 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 31% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 23 to 41. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%in line
-0.07
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 156 pupils
Ofsted inspection0%no data
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.08
DfE progress measure; 156 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.07
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
-0.02
2024/25; 761 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.07
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 156 pupils
What pupils do next5%in line
+0.00
139 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Hadleigh High School a good school?

The figures are weak. Hadleigh High School scores 31 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 28% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 23 to 41, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

How good are Hadleigh High School's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 40% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 43.6, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished a little behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Hadleigh High School have?

712 pupils aged 11 to 16 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 870 places, so it is 82% full.

Is Hadleigh High School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 145 places were empty in 2024/25 (17% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Hadleigh High School?

Pupils were in school 90.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 25% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Hadleigh High School?

The average class had 21.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 4% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Hadleigh High School have a sixth form?

No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship; 91% of 2022/23 leavers were still in education, work or training six months on.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Highlands Road, Hadleigh, Ipswich, IP7 5HU
Telephone
01473 823496
Website
www.hadleighhigh.net
Headteacher
Mrs Nicola Shingleton
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-16
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
None
Multi-academy trust
Penrose Learning Trust (9 schools)
Local authority
Suffolk
Ward
Hadleigh South
Constituency
South Suffolk
Setting
Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 July 2011 (academy converter)
URN
136918 · LAESTAB 9354017 · UKPRN 10034182
Formerly
Hadleigh High School

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from