The hardest schools to get into in Suffolk
Secondary: 239 families put St Benedict's Catholic School first in 2026 and 165 of them (69%) were offered a place.
Reception: 47 families put All Saints' Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Lawshall first in 2026 and 28 of them (60%) were offered a place.
Every state school in Suffolk with at least 20 first-choice applicants, hardest first. Of the families who put the school first on their application, the share who were offered a place there. Data: Department for Education.
Secondary schools (Year 7)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Benedict's Catholic School · Bury St Edmunds · faith | 239 | 165 (69%) | 167 |
| 2 | Northgate High School · Ipswich | 316 | 224 (71%) | 235 |
| 3 | Claydon High School · Ipswich | 179 | 146 (82%) | 148 |
| 4 | Copleston High School · Ipswich | 345 | 288 (84%) | 319 |
| 5 | Castle Manor Academy · Haverhill | 161 | 136 (85%) | 146 |
| 6 | Kesgrave High School · Ipswich | 338 | 286 (85%) | 294 |
| 7 | Chantry Academy · Ipswich | 221 | 199 (90%) | 202 |
| 8 | St Alban's Catholic High School · Ipswich · faith | 142 | 129 (91%) | 164 |
| 9 | Stour Valley Community School · Sudbury | 116 | 108 (93%) | 112 |
| 10 | King Edward VI CEVC School · Bury St Edmunds · faith | 226 | 212 (94%) | 225 |
| 11 | East Bergholt High School · Colchester | 194 | 183 (94%) | 189 |
| 12 | Hartismere School · Eye | 159 | 150 (94%) | 151 |
| 13 | Sir John Leman High School · Beccles | 277 | 263 (95%) | 265 |
| 14 | Benjamin Britten Academy of Music and Mathematics · Lowestoft | 270 | 258 (96%) | 262 |
| 15 | Thomas Mills High School & Sixth Form · Woodbridge | 180 | 172 (96%) | 173 |
| 16 | Debenham High School · Stowmarket · faith | 146 | 140 (96%) | 141 |
| 17 | Ormiston Endeavour Academy · Ipswich | 161 | 159 (99%) | 174 |
| 18 | Farlingaye High School · Woodbridge | 282 | 280 (99%) | 293 |
| 19 | Stowmarket High School · Stowmarket | 201 | 200 (100%) | 202 |
| 20 | Thurston Community College · Bury St Edmunds | 271 | 271 (100%) | 277 |
| 21 | Thomas Gainsborough School · Sudbury | 260 | 260 (100%) | 271 |
| 22 | Mildenhall College Academy · Mildenhall | 226 | 226 (100%) | 240 |
| 23 | Felixstowe School · Felixstowe | 194 | 194 (100%) | 201 |
| 24 | Bungay High School · Bungay | 152 | 152 (100%) | 157 |
| 25 | Samuel Ward Academy · Haverhill | 148 | 148 (100%) | 186 |
| 26 | Ipswich Academy · Ipswich | 137 | 137 (100%) | 200 |
| 27 | Ormiston Sudbury Academy · Sudbury | 131 | 131 (100%) | 131 |
| 28 | Westbourne Academy · Ipswich | 129 | 129 (100%) | 173 |
| 29 | Stowupland High School · Stowmarket | 120 | 120 (100%) | 126 |
| 30 | Hadleigh High School · Ipswich | 120 | 120 (100%) | 128 |
| 31 | Newmarket Academy · Newmarket | 119 | 119 (100%) | 141 |
| 32 | East Point Academy · Lowestoft | 116 | 116 (100%) | 123 |
| 33 | Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy · Ipswich | 115 | 115 (100%) | 167 |
| 34 | Sybil Andrews Academy · Bury St. Edmunds | 101 | 101 (100%) | 109 |
| 35 | Pakefield High School · Lowestoft | 100 | 100 (100%) | 104 |
| 36 | Breckland School · Brandon | 95 | 95 (100%) | 99 |
| 37 | Alde Valley Academy · Leiston | 93 | 93 (100%) | 95 |
| 38 | Ormiston Denes Academy · Lowestoft | 87 | 87 (100%) | 96 |
| 39 | Ixworth High School · Ixworth | 80 | 80 (100%) | 88 |
| 40 | Holbrook Academy · Ipswich | 69 | 69 (100%) | 83 |
| 41 | Bury St Edmunds County High School · Bury St Edmunds | 67 | 67 (100%) | 98 |
| 42 | Beccles High School · Beccles | 39 | 39 (100%) | 40 |
| 43 | Stradbroke High School · Eye | 33 | 33 (100%) | 35 |
Primary schools (Reception)
Getting into a school in Suffolk
What is the hardest school to get into in Suffolk?
For secondary places, 239 families put St Benedict's Catholic School first in 2026 and 165 of them (69%) were offered a place. For Reception, 47 families put All Saints' Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Lawshall first and 28 of them (60%) were offered a place.
St Benedict's Catholic SchoolAll Saints' Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Lawshall
How many families in Suffolk get their first-choice school?
92.7% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 94.9% of those applying for Reception did (offers for September 2026).
Does putting a school first improve our chances?
Not at the other schools you name. Councils in England use an equal-preference system: every school you list is considered against its own admissions criteria, and if more than one could offer a place you get the one you ranked highest. So list schools in your genuine order of preference, and include at least one you are very likely to get.
What does "last distance offered" mean?
For schools that give places by distance, it is how far from the school the last child offered a place under that criterion lived. It changes every year with the number and location of applicants, so treat it as a guide, not a guarantee. We show it where Suffolk published it in its admissions booklet.