Debenham High School, Stowmarket
Debenham High School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Stowmarket, part of Heart of Suffolk Education Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2023. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 4th-highest of the 43 schools in Suffolk with published results, and 786th of 3,298 across England. It was 96% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Well above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Suffolk (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Debenham High School in detail
Debenham High School in its own words
In its own words: "At Debenham High School we recognise not only the importance of allowing students to flourish academically but we also embrace our wider role in preparing them for their adult life beyond the formal examined curriculum, in their local community and as global citizens."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include drama and Duke of Edinburgh.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at Debenham High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.4 in Suffolk and 47 across England.
55% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 40% in Suffolk and 47% in England.
That is down from 55.7 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.76: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 38, against 54.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.4 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.
Getting a place at Debenham High School
For September 2026 entry, 146 families put Debenham High School as their first choice and 231 named it as one of their preferences, for 141 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
The trust
Debenham High School is one of 3 schools run by Heart of Suffolk Education Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 140 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 87% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 26% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.
Who goes there
14% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 42 pupils (5.9%) received SEN support and 27 (3.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Debenham High School.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High School (in), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 8 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Suffolk (32).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Debenham High School issued 23 suspensions, 3.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management.
About
Debenham High Schools is a secondary school located in the village of Debenham in Suffolk, UK. The school accepts students who are between 11 and 16 years old and live in the catchment.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
14.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has remained stable at around 0.76 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 55.6 to 51.5 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has declined from 62% to 55% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 51.5 | 55.1% |
| Disadvantaged(24) | - | 38.0 | 29.2% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(112) | - | 54.4 | 60.7% |
| Boys(72) | - | 49.7 | 47.2% |
| Girls(64) | - | 53.5 | 64.1% |
Show more breakdowns (1)
| Non mobile(132) | - | 51.4 | 55.3% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 3 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 140 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
23
Suspensions
3.29%
Suspension rate
19 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 699 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Keep up with Debenham High School
Term dates
Debenham High School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Suffolk's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Debenham High School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Debenham High School is in Suffolk; for families living there:
Apply to Suffolk for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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
Your chances of a place at Debenham High School
Will you get a place at Debenham High School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Debenham High School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Debenham High School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Debenham High School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Suffolk, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Debenham High School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Suffolk got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
96%
Near capacity
694 pupils
722 places
28 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Stowmarket
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Stowmarket
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.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
42
SEN Support
27
EHC Plans
9.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
714
Total Pupils
354
Boys
360
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
49
Teachers
14.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,345
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,503
Per pupil
£4764k
Total funding
£95k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.7%
Overall absence
16.3%
Persistent absence
712
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Debenham High School
Questions parents ask about Debenham High School
What are GCSE results like at Debenham High School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Debenham High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 51.5. 55% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Debenham High School's Ofsted rating?
Debenham High School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2008 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Debenham High School?
No fixed boundary. When Debenham High School is oversubscribed, Suffolk allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Debenham High School?
Debenham High School was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Debenham High School?
Classes at Debenham High School average 25.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Debenham High School?
Debenham High School has around 714 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Debenham High School?
6.7% of sessions were missed at Debenham High School in 2024/25. 16.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Debenham High School?
Apply through Suffolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Debenham High School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Debenham High School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Debenham High School?
Debenham High School is at Gracechurch Street, Debenham, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 6BL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)