Stour Valley Community School

Free school · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed

Part of ANGLIAN LEARNING

Cavendish Road, Clare, Sudbury, CO10 8PJ

01787 279342 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 25 April 2023
Grade 5 or above in English and maths43%England 45% · 2024/25
2nd highest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Higher than 47% of 3,259 state secondary schools in England.
Pupils569Room for 575 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 570 in 2019, 583 in 2021, 582 in 2022, 586 in 2023, 579 in 2024, 569 in 2025, 569 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.0116 for 112 places, September 2026
1st highest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Higher than 67% of 3,219 state secondary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 25 April 2023.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

113 pupils in this year group.

43% — 3 points above the Suffolk average, and 3 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolSuffolkEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 43% 40% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 44.5 42.8 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 3.7 3.7 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
30% 40% 50% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 43%This school 2023/24: 49%This school 2024/25: 43% This school England 45% 2022/23 43% 2023/24 49% 2024/25 43%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

118 pupils in this year group.

97% — 4 points above the Suffolk average, and 5 points above the England average.

Where pupils went after Year 11
This school 31%53%
England 34%13%37%
MeasureThis schoolSuffolkEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 97% 93% 92%
School sixth form 31% 39% 34%
Sixth form college 6% 5% 13%
Further education college 53% 42% 37%
Apprenticeship 3% 3% 3%
Work 1% 3% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
93%97%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Suffolk. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered112
Families who put it first116
Of those, offered a place108 (93%)
Families who listed it at all183

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.9 · 2025: 1.1 · 2026: 1.0

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

Admissions dates and schools in Suffolk

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolSuffolkEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
3rd highest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Higher than 29% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
19.3% 22.5%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
1st highest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Higher than 82% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
4.8% 3.8%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
3rd highest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Higher than 32% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
11.4% 13.9%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
3rd highest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Higher than 1% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
0.9% 9.9%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
3rd lowest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Lower than 23% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
10.1% 9.1%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
3rd lowest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Lower than 40% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
25.5% 24.3%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
2nd lowest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Lower than 54% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
13.0 31.0 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
3rd lowest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Lower than 46% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
7.2% 7.7% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.34% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
2nd highest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Higher than 61% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England.
17.3 17.7 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
2nd highest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Higher than 61% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
12.3 12.3 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
1st highest of 3 state secondary schools in Sudbury.
Higher than 49% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England.
13.1% 12.5%* 14.2%*

Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Questions parents ask

What is Stour Valley Community School's Ofsted rating?

Stour Valley Community School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 25 April 2023.

How did Stour Valley Community School do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 43% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 3 points below the England average of 45%.

Is Stour Valley Community School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 116 families put Stour Valley Community School as their first choice for 112 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 108 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.