Stowmarket High School, based in Stowmarket, provides secondary education, serving pupils aged 11 to 18. The school is a academy sponsor led and operates as a mixed school. It follows a non-selective admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school. The school also offers a sixth form, allowing students to continue into post-16 education on site.
Stowmarket High School currently has around 896 pupils on roll, which is about 74% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 50.7% boys and 49.3% girls. Around 21.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The student population reflects a mixed community across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 8.7%. Persistent absence is recorded at 23.5%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (87.9%).
Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | Onehouse Road, Stowmarket, IP14 1QR |
| Website: | www.stowhigh.com |
| Telephone: | 01449613541 |
| School Type: | Academy sponsor led |
| Education phase: | Secondary |
| Local authority: | Suffolk |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Ms Lucie Hernandez |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Non-selective |
| Unique reference: | 145055 |
Ofsted inspection date: 10/06/2025
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 11 - 18 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 1203 |
| Number of Pupils: | 896 |
| Number of Boys: | 454 |
| Number of Girls: | 442 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 8.7% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 23.5% | 8.2% |
| White British | 87.90% | 788 |
| Other White | 4.00% | 36 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 1.50% | 13 |
| Unclassified | 1.50% | 13 |
| Indian | 1.10% | 10 |
| African | 1.00% | 9 |
| White and Black African | 0.70% | 6 |
| White and Asian | 0.70% | 6 |
| Other Mixed | 0.40% | 4 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 0.40% | 4 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.20% | 2 |
| Other Asian | 0.20% | 2 |
| Caribbean | 0.20% | 2 |
| Other Black | 0.10% | 1 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish | 0.00% | 0 |
| Pakistani | 0.00% | 0 |
| Chinese | 0.00% | 0 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood Ley Community Primary School Lowry Way , IP14 1UF | 3out of 4 | 374 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Chilton Community Primary School Violet Hill Road , IP14 1NN | - not rated | 683 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Chilton Community Primary School Violet Hill Road , IP14 1NN | 3out of 4 | 683 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Grace Cook Primary School Fuller Way , IP14 1GG | - not rated | 1,000 yd | Free schools | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Abbot's Hall Community Primary School Danescourt Avenue , IP14 1QF | - not rated | 1,102 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stowmarket High School Onehouse Road , IP14 1QR | - not rated | 0 yd | Academy sponsor led | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Stowmarket High School Onehouse Road , IP14 1QR | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stowmarket Middle School Walnut Tree Walk , IP14 1JP | - not rated | 782 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Combs Middle School Lavenham Way , IP14 2BZ | - not rated | 2,685 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OA - Suffolk Chilton Way , IP14 1SZ | 3out of 4 | 331 yd | Academy alternative provision sponsor led | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Kingsfield Centre Chilton Way , IP14 1SZ | - not rated | 331 yd | Pupil referral unit | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Oakwood School Chilton Way , IP14 1SZ | - not rated | 525 yd | Community special school | Not Applicable | Boys | More About School |
| Finborough School The Hall , Great Finborough IP14 3EF | - not rated | 2,662 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.