St Alban's Catholic High School Review 2026: Catholic secondary with a structured culture and a clear sense of service

A school where expectations are explicit and regularly reinforced tends to feel calmer than its size suggests. Here, the tone is shaped by a simple triad of priorities, learning, respecting, caring, backed by a house system and a pastoral model that emphasises contribution as much as achievement. External review describes pupils as enjoying school and engaging strongly with learning, alongside a curriculum designed to build knowledge in a deliberate sequence and a sixth form that remains a meaningful option for those who want continuity post 16.

Leadership has recently shifted. Ofsted visited in April 2025 when the school had an acting headteacher; the current headteacher is Simon Corless, appointed in September 2025.

For families weighing options in Ipswich, the academic picture is mixed. GCSE outcomes sit broadly in line with the middle band of schools in England, while sixth form outcomes rank lower in England in the available A level measures. Demand for places is strong, with the most recent admissions dataset showing the school oversubscribed.

The school’s Catholic identity is not treated as an add on. It is woven into the language of community, a focus on dignity, and the encouragement for pupils to serve others. That comes through in practical initiatives such as the St Vincent de Paul Society group, framed around tackling poverty in all its forms and supporting those in need through friendship and tangible help, including collections and hampers for the wider community.

The house system is a visible organising structure rather than a decorative label. Pupils are placed into one of six houses, Avila, Audrey, Bosco, Botolph, Edmund, Magdalen, with tutor groups built around that structure across year groups. In practice, this tends to strengthen day to day belonging, simplify communication, and create clear lines of support.

Catholic life also has a specific local flavour through the school’s patron. The website recounts the story of St Alban as England’s first Christian martyr and notes a school celebration held on, or close to, 22 June each year. This kind of calendared ritual can matter to pupils, because it gives the year rhythm and provides shared reference points that are not exam driven.

At GCSE level, St Alban’s Catholic High School ranks 1,534th in England and 6th in Ipswich for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The available GCSE metrics point to a broadly positive, if not headline grabbing, academic picture. Attainment 8 is 48.9 and Progress 8 is 0.13, which indicates progress above pupils’ starting points overall. The school’s average EBacc APS is 4.3.

Sixth form outcomes are weaker in the A level dataset. St Alban’s ranks 1,966th in England and 10th in Ipswich for A level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), placing it below England average on this measure. The grade profile recorded is 3.46% A*, 9.62% A, 20% B, and 33.08% A* to B, compared with an England average of 47.2% A* to B.

Parents comparing options locally may find it helpful to use the FindMySchool Local Hub Comparison Tool to view GCSE and A level measures side by side with other nearby sixth forms and 11 to 18 providers.

The curriculum intent is ambitious and deliberately organised. Content is sequenced to help pupils build knowledge in a sensible order, with regular checking of understanding so pupils know and remember more over time. Reading is treated as a priority, with weaker readers identified and supported to become confident and fluent so they can access the full curriculum.

The strongest version of teaching here is subject expert and explicit. Staff draw on their expertise to present information clearly and address misconceptions. Pupils are also expected to think and articulate, with oracy and debate used to explore moral and ethical topics linked to what they are studying.

The developmental edge is consistency. External review highlights that, in a few subjects, teaching does not always build effectively on prior knowledge, limiting depth for some pupils. For families, this is less about a single weak department and more about asking how the school monitors teaching quality and what support is in place if a pupil is in a class that is not yet hitting the expected standard.

The school does not publish a detailed Russell Group breakdown in the sources reviewed, so the most reliable destination lens here is the 16 to 18 leaver dataset and the separate Oxbridge record. In the 2023/24 leaver cohort (83 students), 53% progressed to university, 17% moved into employment, 7% started apprenticeships, and 2% went into further education.

Oxbridge outcomes are modest but present. In the measurement period provided, there were two applications and one acceptance, recorded in the combined Oxford and Cambridge measure, with the Cambridge pathway accounting for that acceptance. This is not a defining feature of the sixth form, but it indicates that the highest academic routes are available for individual students who have both the grades and the fit for that kind of application.

More broadly, the sixth form curriculum appears designed to keep pathways open. A published sixth form guidance document references an Extended Studies programme and options such as Core Maths alongside A levels, suggesting an attempt to support both academic stretch and practical preparedness.

For Year 7 entry, applications follow Suffolk’s coordinated admissions process, with families completing the Local Authority’s Common Application Form. The school also asks for a supplementary information form with supporting evidence, with the website listing 31 October as the application deadline and 1 March as national offer day.

As a Catholic school, faith based oversubscription criteria matter. The admissions policy states that the school was founded to educate children of Catholic families and that, when applications exceed places, priority is given accordingly. For families, the practical implication is that evidence requirements and parish links can be a meaningful part of whether an application is realistic.

Demand is significant in the available admissions dataset, showing 431 applications for 172 offers, which equates to roughly 2.51 applications per place, and the school marked as oversubscribed. This does not tell you exactly how far places reached, but it is a clear signal that families should treat admission as competitive and plan backups.

For sixth form entry, the route is direct to the school rather than through Local Authority coordination. An official Suffolk admissions policy document for 2026 to 2027 entry states that sixth form applications must be made by 31 January 2026.

If distance is used as a tie break, parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to measure from home to the school gates accurately, then compare that with any Local Authority guidance for the relevant year.

Pastoral support is framed as both prevention and intervention. The school’s work with families around attendance is described as effective, with punctuality and attendance improving significantly as a result of its actions.

Support for vulnerable pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, is described as persistent and practical. Adaptations in lessons are delivered by trained staff so pupils can work independently and achieve well. This matters in a mainstream 11 to 18 context, because it suggests the school is aiming for inclusion that is academic as well as pastoral.

Faith life also plays a pastoral role. The St Vincent de Paul Society work is explicitly positioned as service without discrimination, offering friendship and help regardless of faith, ethnicity, status, or sexual orientation. For many families, this kind of structured service opportunity is an important part of moral and personal development, not merely a charitable extra.

Enrichment is best judged by the specificity of what pupils actually do. External review points to theatre visits, university lectures, and workshops using drones to explore ecology. Pupils also take part in local signing festivals and a Linguistics Olympiad, which suggests a genuine breadth beyond sport.

Clubs include a problem solving club, a faith based group called Alive in Faith, and pupil led clubs, including one described as a nerd club. This combination is a helpful indicator for parents: there are structured staff run activities, but there is also space for student initiative and identity based groups that help pupils find their people.

The Boost programme ties enrichment participation to a points and badge system. It explicitly links attending clubs to house points, with named examples including Cubing club, Collective, STEM and Athletics, and thresholds for bronze, silver and gold badges. For some pupils, this adds a motivating layer; for others, it is simply a neat way of making the enrichment programme visible and trackable.

Student leadership opportunities extend beyond the obvious. Roles described include school councillors, prefects, sports leaders, and a chaplaincy team involved in fundraising, with older students chairing meetings. When this is done well, it can reduce passive school culture and encourage pupils to see themselves as contributors rather than consumers.

The school day runs from 08:45 to 15:15, with pupils supervised on site from 08:15. The timetable operates on a two week cycle, with four teaching periods each day.

Transport choices will depend on where you live in Ipswich and surrounding areas, but the day structure makes conventional bus or cycle commutes feasible for many families. For those driving, the supervised early arrival window can help reduce morning pressure where parents need to drop off ahead of work commitments.

• Sixth form outcomes are a relative weakness in the published A level dataset. The England ranking and A* to B profile are below England averages, so families should explore subject by subject performance, teaching capacity, and whether alternative local sixth forms may better match a student’s strengths.

• Admission is competitive and faith criteria can be decisive. The school is oversubscribed in the available admissions dataset, and the admissions policy prioritises Catholic children when applications exceed places. Families should read the latest policy carefully and plan realistic alternatives.

• Teaching consistency is flagged as an improvement area. External review notes that, in some subjects, learning does not always build effectively on prior knowledge, which can limit depth for some pupils. Ask how this is being addressed, and what support is available if your child struggles in a particular subject.

• Leadership has recently changed. The school had an acting headteacher at the April 2025 inspection, with Simon Corless appointed as headteacher in September 2025. That kind of transition can be positive, but it can also mean policies and routines evolve over a short period.

St Alban’s Catholic High School offers a structured, values led education with a clear house identity, visible opportunities for service, and a curriculum designed to be ambitious and coherent. GCSE outcomes sit broadly in line with the middle band of schools in England, while the sixth form outcomes in the available A level dataset suggest students should choose post 16 routes thoughtfully. Best suited to families who want a Catholic school culture with clear expectations and who are prepared to engage carefully with the admissions criteria and local post 16 alternatives.