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Schools in Stowmarket

A town in Suffolk

  • Town
  • 16 schools and nurseries
  • 2,775 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Stowmarket at a glance

Strong attendance, weaker results at 16

How Stowmarket's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries167 primary · 1 secondary · 8 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1161%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths38%Attainment 8 42.5, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary19%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school14%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Stowmarket

Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All Stowmarket primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Stowmarket

7 mainstream schools in Stowmarket, best first

See all 7 primary schools

Top Secondary Schools in Stowmarket

1 mainstream schools in Stowmarket, best first

Stowmarket High School

Stowmarket, IP14 1QR · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good or better

Results below the England average.

201 first choices, 202 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1642.5

England 46.2

Days missed
7.6%
Pupils
901
Pupils per teacher
15.9
View school Stowmarket High School

Nurseries in Stowmarket

8 in Stowmarket, highest Ofsted grade first

See all 8 nurseries
The map

Every school in Stowmarket, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Wood Ley Community Primary School, Expected standard or betterTrinity Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, GoodCedars Park Community Primary School, GoodStowmarket High School, Good or betterCombs Ford Primary School, Requires improvement in 2 areasAbbot's Hall Community Primary School, GoodChilton Community Primary School, GoodGrace Cook Primary School, Good or betterButtercups Children's Nursery, GoodSunhill Early Years Stowmarket, GoodSunhill Early Learning Stowmarket, GoodFoxglove Violet Hill, GoodSt Peter And St Mary's Pre-school, GoodPoppy's Children's Nursery, GoodBunnies Daycare, GoodWoodlands (CIO), Good
  • Good12
  • Not graded yet4
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

By age

What's on offer for each age

Pick a stage to see every Stowmarket school for that age, with filters for type, faith and Ofsted grade.

More ways to narrow it down

Here's how Stowmarket's schools break down by type, faith and more.

Postcodes

Browse Stowmarket by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Stowmarket vs England

How good are Stowmarket's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Stowmarket

StowmarketEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 4 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    61%

    England 62%

    Close to England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    38%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    14%

    England 18%

    Better than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    19%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 4 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good4
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Stowmarket in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap40%55%70%20182019202320242025
61% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap20%40%60%201920222023202420252026
38% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
14% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Stowmarket has 16 schools and nurseries.

There are 4% more pupils than in 2018.

19% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Stowmarket's state schools each January.

Up 4% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.

Free school meals

Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.

Stowmarket19%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Stowmarket

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Find a school to follow
Questions

Questions parents ask about Stowmarket

Nearby areas

How many schools are in Stowmarket?

Stowmarket has 16 schools, including 7 primary schools, 1 secondary school, 8 nurseries. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Stowmarket?

The highest-ranked schools in Stowmarket on Eduscope are Trinity Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Cedars Park Community Primary School, Abbot's Hall Community Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.

What percentage of schools in Stowmarket are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Stowmarket hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 4 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Stowmarket perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Stowmarket, 61% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Stowmarket?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Stowmarket is 18.6:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in Stowmarket schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Stowmarket is 14.1%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.

How many pupils attend schools in Stowmarket?

There are 2,775 pupils enrolled across schools in Stowmarket, with 1,874 in primary and 901 in secondary. 19.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Stowmarket?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 16 schools in Stowmarket by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.

Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.

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