Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy, Ipswich

Ofsted's report card from its 2 June 2026 inspection grades Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy on 6 areas: 5 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have implemented effective systems to improve attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The curriculum is broad, balanced and well considered for the school's context."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have created an inclusive culture at this school where pupils are well known."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have high expectations of all pupils."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders' work in personal development and wellbeing has led to pupils benefiting from a comprehensive curriculum."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Examination results remain below national averages."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue their targeted work on attendance to ensure that this continues to embed fully and have an impact on all groups of pupils"; "Leaders should monitor the quality of work produced by students to ensure that it consistently demonstrates the development of newly acquired learning"; "Leaders should ensure that their actions to improve achievement translate into improved outcomes in external tests and examinations".

In its own words: "To ensure that all young people, regardless of their background, achieve their best in a safe, secure, caring yet challenging learning environment where all of our students are inspired to respect others. To develop their talents and to raise their aspirations to leave school with the academic, social and practical skills to lead a successful, happy and responsible life."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Stoke High School. We are an inclusive comprehensive school which sits in the heart of our community and we are incredibly proud of our achievements. Underlying everything we do is our belief in the value and importance of individuals: both students and staff."

The school runs after-school care.

In 2026, pupils at Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 36, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.4 in Suffolk and 47 across England.

25% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 40% in Suffolk and 47% in England.

That is up from 34.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.41: pupils made below 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 30.3, against 40.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 115 families put Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy as their first choice and 198 named it as one of their preferences, for 167 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy are Chantry Academy (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36.7); Learning Support, Southern Area Education Office (1.1 miles); Ipswich Academy (1.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 40.3); and Copleston High School (2.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.3).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy.

Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy is one of 44 schools run by Ormiston Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41 in 2024/25.

14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy (as of April 2026): 79% would recommend the school, 79% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (64%).

Of the 144 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 79% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 48% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

41.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 40.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (41%), Mixed (15%) and Black (10%).

In 2026, 84 pupils (10.4%) received SEN support and 41 (5.1%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Ipswich Rail Station, about 890 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Pembroke Close (adjacent), 120 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 332 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Suffolk (32), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy issued 194 suspensions, 24.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 7 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy are Hillside Primary School (0.2 miles), Halifax Primary School (0.3 miles), St Mark's Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles) and The Willows Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.