Holbrook Academy, Ipswich
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Holbrook Academy excels at creating a caring, inclusive environment where all pupils feel valued and supported. The school is particularly strong at helping disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND succeed, with excellent pastoral care that helps pupils manage their wellbeing and emotional needs. Pupils feel safe, enjoy attending school, and benefit from a broad range of enrichment opportunities that build their confidence and sense of belonging.
Key Strengths
- Strong safeguarding culture with effective support systems
- Excellent pastoral care and wellbeing support including counselling and mental health services
- Very effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
- Warm, welcoming school environment where pupils feel safe and well-cared for
- Good attendance and behaviour with significantly reduced suspensions
Areas for Improvement
- Too many pupils underperform in national tests and examinations
- Teaching quality is inconsistent across subjects, with insufficient challenge for higher-ability pupils
- Teachers do not consistently check understanding or take action when gaps are identified
- Leadership needs to be more strategic and urgent in improving teaching quality
- Professional development for staff is not matched well enough to subject and phase needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met, with leaders fulfilling responsibilities effectively and establishing an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, ensuring pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Criminal law club, mahjong, chess, card games, educational visits, Community Action group (primary school support, care home visits, environmental projects), Friends of Holbrook Association, netball, art
Holbrook Academy is a small, friendly school with strong pastoral care and effective safeguarding, but pupils' academic achievement needs improvement as many continue to underperform in national tests and examinations.
At a Glance
22.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
25 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
24.6
Avg class size
24
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
584 pupils
600 capacity
16 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Ipswich
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Ipswich
Admissions Demand - Suffolk
Places available
8,496
Applications
7,401
Got 1st preference
92.0%
Got preferred school
97.4%
Secondary admissions across Suffolk (2025/26)
Inspection History(12)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.36106%
Overall absence
26.6129%
Persistent absence
620
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Holbrook Academy
Nearby Schools
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