Bungay High School Review 2026: A friendly 11 to 18 academy with a structured curriculum and strong community feel

Bungay High School’s best calling card is the calm confidence of its students. External evaluation describes a friendly community where pupils feel safe, enjoy lessons, and value straightforward, supportive relationships with staff.

The school is an academy converter within East Anglian Schools Trust, and the current headteacher, Chanel Oswick, was appointed in September 2021.

Academically, outcomes at GCSE sit in line with the middle 35% of secondary schools in England (25th to 60th percentile) on FindMySchool’s rankings, with slightly positive Progress 8. Sixth form results, however, sit below England average on the available A-level grade measures, and families considering Year 12 should pay close attention to the school’s published updates about post 16 provision from September 2026.

This is a school that places a premium on belonging and approachability. The most recent inspection evidence presents pupils as proud of what they achieve and comfortable asking for help, with a “togetherness” that matters in a rural market town where school and community links often overlap. Pupils describe staff as willing to help them deal with issues beyond lessons, which is often the difference between a school that is merely orderly and one that feels genuinely supportive for teenagers.

Leadership since September 2021 has been framed around high expectations and a clear plan for improvement. The school’s approach is not about constant reinvention; it is about consistency, shared routines, and a curriculum that is designed deliberately rather than assembled year by year.

Inclusion is a visible part of the school’s identity. Alongside mainstream provision, the school has a resourced base for deaf pupils, with support designed to help students take part fully in lessons and wider school life.

Historically, Bungay’s roots reach back to the founding of Bungay Grammar School in 1565, and that long institutional memory still shows up in the language the school uses about aspiration and achievement, even though today’s intake and curriculum are comprehensive rather than selective.

GCSE outcomes (headline indicators)

Bungay High School’s Attainment 8 score is 46, with a Progress 8 score of +0.08, indicating students make slightly above average progress from their starting points. The EBacc average point score is 4.01, and 11.8% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across EBacc subjects.

On FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking, Bungay High School is ranked 2,162nd in England and 1st in Bungay. This level of performance is described as solid and broadly in line with the middle 35% of secondary schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). (FindMySchool rankings are proprietary and based on official outcomes data.)

A-level outcomes (headline indicators)

At A-level, 6.41% of entries achieved A*, 10.26% achieved A, and 8.97% achieved B, giving 25.64% at A* to B. England averages are 23.6% at A* to A and 47.2% at A* to B, so Bungay’s A-level profile is below England average on these measures.

On FindMySchool’s A-level outcomes ranking, the sixth form is ranked 2,042nd in England and 1st in Bungay. (FindMySchool rankings are proprietary and based on official outcomes data.)

A key context point for families is that the school describes the sixth form as growing, yet it has also published information about engagement with the Department for Education regarding the possible closure of sixth form provision from September 2026. Treat A-level plans for 2026 entry as a “check the latest position” item, not an assumption.

The curriculum model is unusually explicit for a state secondary. Senior leadership has implemented a structured approach to curriculum design, and subject leaders align their planning to that structure. A distinctive example is the use of curriculum “journeys” that help pupils understand how current topics connect to prior learning and what comes next, which is a practical way to reduce gaps when students have missed content or need reinforcement.

Assessment is treated as an active part of teaching rather than a bolt-on. Teachers check what pupils have understood, then set targeted tasks for individuals who are uncertain, a method that tends to help middle attainers make steady gains without narrowing the curriculum prematurely.

Reading has a clear profile, particularly in Years 7 to 9, where lessons include protected reading time. The stated challenge is consistency into key stage 4, where reading for pleasure and routine practice can wane under GCSE pressure. Modern foreign languages is another area flagged for improvement, linked to low take up and weaker impact than in other subjects.

Where Students Go Next

For most students, the immediate destination question is about routes rather than prestige: sixth form, college, apprenticeships, or employment. Among 2023 to 2024 leavers, 50% progressed to university, 11% to apprenticeships, 24% to employment, and 2% to further education (figures may not sum to 100% due to other destinations and reporting conventions).

Where Bungay does have a small, high-attainment pipeline, it shows up in Oxbridge data. In the most recent recorded cycle, there were 2 applications to Oxford and Cambridge combined, 1 offer, and 1 acceptance (recorded under Cambridge). This is not an “Oxbridge factory”, but it is evidence that the school can support highly academic students when the individual fit is right.

Careers guidance is positioned as a whole-school responsibility, with students expected to explore pathways and build a personal plan across the secondary years.

A specific sixth form caution applies for 2026 entry. The school has stated it is liaising with the Department for Education regarding a proposal to consider closure of the sixth form from September 2026, and that consultation has closed with feedback passed to the DfE. Families should treat this as a live issue when planning Year 12.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated through Suffolk, with applications made via the local authority rather than directly to the school. For September 2026 entry, Suffolk’s published closing date for on-time secondary applications is 31 October 2025, with offers issued on 02 March 2026 (Suffolk’s published date for offer letters).

The school’s determined admissions policy sets a Published Admission Number (PAN) of 210 for Year 7. If applications exceed PAN, places are prioritised in a clear order, including children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, looked-after and previously looked-after children, catchment area children (with and without a sibling link), named catchment primary schools, and then distance. Distance is measured as a straight line, and ties can be resolved by a random allocation process independent of the school.

For families weighing chances of entry, the practical step is to understand how the catchment and distance rules apply to your address, then compare that with recent patterns in allocations and waiting lists. The FindMySchool Map Search is built for this kind of shortlisting, especially when you are comparing multiple schools that use distance differently.

Year 12 admissions are the area requiring the most caution. The school’s own published notice about possible sixth form closure from September 2026 means families should verify whether external applications are being taken for 2026 entry, and what alternatives are being supported locally.

Pastoral strength comes through most clearly in the way staff are described as accessible and prepared to talk through issues that affect learning and wellbeing. The safeguarding culture is presented as vigilant, with staff trained on local priorities and leaders working with outside agencies when concerns arise.

Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is positioned as broad, with an emphasis on healthy relationships and confident, age-appropriate discussion of sensitive topics. Behaviour is described as improved since September 2021, with low level disruption reported as rare, which matters for learning consistency in mixed-ability classes.

Support for students with special educational needs and disabilities is designed around access to the same curriculum, with adaptations rather than separation where possible. The resourced provision for deaf pupils is a particularly specific feature, and one that can be significant for families seeking mainstream education alongside specialist support.

Bungay’s extracurricular offer is broad and, importantly, specific. Current examples include Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, STEM Club, Taekwondo, Amnesty International, Chess, Bridge, Maths Club, Jazz Band, Wind Band, Junior Orchestra, Rock Choir, Book Club, and Creative Writing.

The best way to interpret that list is as multiple “routes in”, not a single dominant culture. For a student who needs a smaller social entry point, Book Club or Creative Writing can be a quiet anchor. For those who respond to competition and routine, Taekwondo and sports give structure. For students drawn to performance, the range of ensembles signals that music participation is not confined to a narrow elite.

There is also evidence of students representing the school at the British Taekwondo Championships, which suggests competitive opportunities exist alongside participation-level clubs.

The published school day runs from 08.40 to 15.10, built around five one-hour lessons, a form period, and scheduled movement time.

The school publishes term dates for 2025 to 2026, aligned with the local authority pattern.

For transport, the school states that buses from the catchment area are arranged by Suffolk, and families typically need to register by May ahead of the new school year.

• Languages and EBacc take up. The proportion of pupils entered for EBacc subjects is described as low, linked to low uptake and weaker impact in modern foreign languages. If languages matter to your child’s future plans, ask directly how MFL is being strengthened and how take up is being encouraged.

• Reading culture in key stage 4. Reading is prioritised in Years 7 to 9, but consistency into Years 10 and 11 is identified as an area that needs tighter follow-through. Students who already enjoy reading may be less affected than those who benefit from structured routines.

• Sixth form uncertainty for September 2026. The school has published that it is liaising with the Department for Education about a proposal to consider closing the sixth form from September 2026. If you are planning Year 12 entry, confirm the latest position and the supported alternatives.

• Rural logistics. Transport is important in this area, and the school notes that catchment bus arrangements require advance registration. That can affect feasibility for families outside the core catchment.

Bungay High School is a good, community-minded 11 to 18 academy with a clear curriculum structure, accessible staff, and a genuinely varied extracurricular offer. GCSE outcomes sit squarely in the mainstream of England performance, with slightly positive progress, and there is credible support for inclusion, including deaf resource provision.

Best suited to families who value a supportive school culture alongside clear routines, and to students who will make the most of clubs, ensembles, and leadership opportunities. The main strategic question for 2026 is post 16 planning, since the school has published that sixth form provision from September 2026 is under consideration.