Ixworth High School, Ixworth

Good
Secondary
Free schools
Mixed
Ages 1116

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Alistair Gibb
Pupils:512 / 600 capacity
LA:Suffolk
Phone:01359234050
Address:Walsham Road, Ixworth, IP31 2HS
Trust:SAPIENTIA EDUCATION TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2014

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Inspected 23 April 2025View full report
URN:140047
UKPRN:10046601
Constituency:Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Ixworth High School is a happy, welcoming place where pupils feel safe and cared for. The school has made impressive improvements in a short time, with pupils now ambitious and motivated to achieve. Teachers are subject experts who explain things clearly and quickly help pupils catch up if they've fallen behind.

Key Strengths

  • Renewed ambition and confidence motivating pupils to work hard with improved achievement
  • Specialist teachers providing clear, rich explanations and quickly identifying gaps in pupils' knowledge
  • Well-designed curriculum with careful sequencing of learning and high priority given to reading
  • Strong support for pupils with SEND through swift identification and detailed understanding of individual needs
  • Effective behaviour management with clear expectations understood by pupils and staff

Areas for Improvement

  • Feedback in some subjects lacks precision, making it difficult for pupils to improve their work and achieve depth of understanding
  • Teaching adaptations for pupils with SEND are sometimes ineffective, limiting their ability to access the curriculum and secure knowledge
  • Need to ensure all staff have expertise to provide purposeful feedback and adapt teaching effectively

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school leadership creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Sports, arts, gardening and landscaping, business and enterprise, leadership roles

Ixworth High School has made significant improvements under new leadership, with pupils now learning well and producing high-quality work. The school maintains good behaviour, a welcoming environment, and has overhauled its curriculum with a focus on reading and specialist teaching.

At a Glance

22.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

HI - Hearing Impairment, ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

169 responses
Would recommend52%
Child is happy66%
Well taught51%
Good progress63%
Feels safe74%
Well behaved49%
Bullying dealt with19%
Kept informed52%
Handles concerns36%
Wider development41%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

22.9

Avg class size

22

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Free School (in)
22m · 0 min walk
Walsham Road (adj)
267m · 4 min walk
Garage (opp)
313m · 5 min walk
Greyhound (opp)
535m · 9 min walk
Mulleys Garage (opp)
773m · 13 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

85%

Available places

512 pupils

600 capacity

88 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Ixworth

Low pressure
New homes approved:46
Projected new pupils:8

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Ixworth

Admissions Demand - Suffolk

Low demand0.87x oversubscription

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(3)

23 April 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
17 September 2019
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
20 June 2017
Requires ImprovementReport
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesRequires Improvement
Personal DevelopmentRequires Improvement
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement

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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

9.29622%

Overall absence

28.17391%

Persistent absence

575

Enrolments

Authorised6.43849%
Unauthorised2.85773%
Persistent (10%+)28.17391%
Severe (50%+)3.82609%

Absence trend

6.73601%
18/19
7.74756%
20/21
13.34329%
21/22
11.49887%
22/23
10.46973%
23/24
9.29622%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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