Abbeygate Sixth Form College, Bury St Edmunds
Abbeygate Sixth Form College is a post-16 school for pupils aged 16 to 19 in Bury St Edmunds, part of Eastern Education Group Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2023.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Abbeygate Sixth Form College in detail
Abbeygate Sixth Form College in its own words
In its own words: "Renowned for the #Abbeygateadvantge - offering extensive enrichment opportunities from clubs, societies, trips & conferences I am delighted to welcome you to Abbeygate Sixth Form College, an exceptional place to study where we are committed to nurturing students beyond just academic qualifications."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
The trust
Abbeygate Sixth Form College is one of 10 schools run by Eastern Education Group Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 536 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 45% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 34% into work. 20% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Who goes there
7.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 6.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (80%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 114 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 9 (0.8%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Entrance, about 1100 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is West Suffolk College (opposite), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Abbeygate Sixth Form College stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 158 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Suffolk (32), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Abbeygate Sixth Form College recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its May 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
7.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Sixth Form Performance (A-Level)
A-Level Results
C+
Average grade
33.4
Points per entry
C+
Best 3 A-Levels
11%
Achieving AAB+
Below average
Value added
499
A-Level students
95%
Retention rate
2024/25 academic year
A-Level Subjects Offered
+ 12 more subjects
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of students
After A-Levels - Leaver Destinations
After A-Levels (Year 13) - 536 students
2023/24 data
University & Higher Education Destinations
20%
Top-third university
66%
Degree course
71%
Any L4+ destination
3%
Apprenticeships
Based on 343 students completing 16-18 study
2022/23 cohort - "Top-third" = most selective third of UK universities by student intake
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Latest from Abbeygate Sixth Form College
Abbeygate Sixth Form College presented with award in recognition of significant mental health research contribution from Oxford University study
30 Sep 2026
Selina beats her own expectations with a stunning set of A-level results
12 Aug 2026
Rocco's determination pays off as he earns his place at Nottingham
12 Aug 2026
Oxbridge dream achieved for Abbeygate Sixth Form College's Emily
12 Aug 2026
Eastern Education Group celebrates an outstanding year with inspirational set of results
12 Aug 2026
New Principal appointed at Abbeygate Sixth Form College
20 Jul 2026
From Abbeygate Sixth Form College's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Abbeygate Sixth Form College
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 9 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
66%
Available places
1,163 pupils
1,750 places
587 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bury St Edmunds
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bury St Edmunds
Across Suffolk council
Places available
8,475
Applications
7,204
Got 1st preference
92.7%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All secondary applications across Suffolk council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
114
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
10.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,163
Total Pupils
487
Boys
676
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
53
Teachers
21.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,436
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Abbeygate Sixth Form College
What is Abbeygate Sixth Form College's Ofsted rating?
Abbeygate Sixth Form College was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2023.
What is the catchment area for Abbeygate Sixth Form College?
No fixed boundary. When Abbeygate Sixth Form College is oversubscribed, Suffolk allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How big are the classes at Abbeygate Sixth Form College?
Classes at Abbeygate Sixth Form College average 18.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Abbeygate Sixth Form College?
Abbeygate Sixth Form College has around 1163 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Abbeygate Sixth Form College?
Apply through Suffolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Abbeygate Sixth Form College on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Abbeygate Sixth Form College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 9 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Abbeygate Sixth Form College?
Abbeygate Sixth Form College is at Beetons Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3YU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)