Westbourne Academy, Ipswich
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 6 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Westbourne Academy has a well-designed curriculum and many skilled teachers who explain new learning clearly. When lessons run smoothly without disruption, pupils enjoy their learning and achieve well. The school also offers valuable extracurricular activities like Cadets and football that help pupils build confidence and teamwork skills.
Key Strengths
- Well-structured curriculum designed to build on pupils' prior learning over time - Many skilled teachers deliver the curriculum effectively and explain new information clearly - Where behaviour is settled and learning is uninterrupted, pupils achieve well - Pupils taught about respect and tolerance through a well-considered personal development programme - Some pupils benefit greatly from extracurricular activities like Cadets and football
Areas for Improvement
- Persistent disruptive behaviour from a significant minority of pupils frequently interrupts learning and makes staff and pupils feel anxious and unsettled - Inconsistent and inadequate support for pupils with SEND, particularly in separate learning spaces - Early reading support is not well monitored, leaving some pupils struggling to read fluently - Derogatory language linked to race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation has become normalised and is not effectively tackled - Low pupil attendance rates with little sign of improvement
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Cadets, football, career exploration from Year 7
Westbourne Academy is a secondary school in Ipswich that has declined significantly since its last Good rating. The school faces serious challenges with disruptive pupil behaviour, inconsistent support for vulnerable learners, and low attendance.
At a Glance
38.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
133 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
24.9
Avg class size
34
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
88%
Available places
989 pupils
1,120 capacity
131 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(8)
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
13.0409%
Overall absence
35.604%
Persistent absence
1,101
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
Westbourne Academy
Whitehouse Community Primary School
St Pancras Catholic Primary School
The Beeches Community Primary School
Springfield Infant School and Nursery
Springfield Junior School
Castle Hill Infant School
Castle Hill Junior School
Dale Hall Community Primary School
Handford Hall Primary School
Bramford Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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