Bury St Edmunds County High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 May 2026

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly and inclusive school. They describe a strong sense of community where their voices are valued and listened to. This is evident in the positive relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils feel cared for. They are confident that staff will prioritise their needs and support them. Pupils feel happy and safe in school. Discrimination and bullying are not tolerated. If any issues or concerns do arise, staff are quick to respond. Anti-bullying ambassadors promote a culture where pupils look out for each other. Pupils report that diversity is celebrated. They enjoy taking part in activities such as the International Evening and the Community Christmas Party. Pupils behave well in lessons and at social times. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. This allows pupils to focus on their learning, make progress and achieve well. When pupils need help to manage their emotions and behaviour, staff intervene swiftly and effectively. Where additional support is needed, it is personalised. This helps pupils to reflect on their actions and improve their engagement with learning. Attendance is improving and most pupils attend school regularly. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported to access the curriculum. In most lessons, teachers use helpful adaptations to ensure pupils learn the same curriculum as their peers. Many pupils benefit from targeted additional teaching that helps them to keep up. Leaders have high expectations for all pupils and nurture their ambitions. There are a wide range of inclusive extra-curricular activities on offer. These help pupils to develop skills such as confidence and resilience. As a result, high numbers of pupils with barriers to learning access them. Many pupils take on leadership roles such as school council member, prefect or reading buddy. This helps them to cooperate well with each other, developing strong teamwork and social skills. Pupils are well-prepared for life beyond school. They receive valuable advice and guidance to help them understand the range of future pathways available.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should continue their work to support pupils to attend regularly, particularly those who are disadvantaged and who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Leaders should embed the consistency of adaptive teaching to further raise the achievement of disadvantaged pupils.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)