Official inspection reports and grades
Inspected 19 November 2024
Compared with the local authority and England
Attainment 8 scores a pupil's best 8 GCSE results, out of about 90. Progress 8 compares those results with pupils who started secondary school at the same level: 0 is average.
| Measure | School | Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 score | 46.1 | 42.8 | 46.1 |
Grade 4 is a standard pass; grade 5 is a strong pass.
| Measure | School | Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 46% | 40% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 65% | 61% | 65% |
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths | 62% | 55% | 60% |
The EBacc is English, maths, science, a language, and history or geography. It is a set of subjects rather than a qualification.
| Measure | School | Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entering the EBacc | 55% | 27% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.1 |
Based on 254 pupils at the end of key stage 4.
Thomas Gainsborough School's catchment area comes from its admission criteria, set by its academy trust, which decide who is offered a place when more children apply than there are places. Children in care or adopted from care come first by law. Most schools put brothers and sisters of current pupils next, then distance from home or a catchment boundary, and the school's admissions policy says which it uses. Living nearby does not guarantee a place, and how far away the last place went changes every year, depending on who applies.
Thomas Gainsborough School is in Suffolk council's area. Check its admissions booklet for how far away places went in recent years. For a Year 7 place, apply through the council where you live by 31 October in your child's Year 6.
School workforce census, 2025/26.
Ofsted’s survey of parents at this school
86%
of parents would recommend this school to another parent
180 responses up to 1 September 2025 · 11% response rate
My child is happy at this school.
87% agreeMy child feels safe at this school.
89% agreeThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.
91% agreeMy child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.
51% agreeThe school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.
81% agreeThomas Gainsborough School's last overall grade from Ofsted was Good, on 19 September 2017. Ofsted inspected it again on 19 November 2024 without giving an overall grade, as single-word grades ended in September 2024.
Apply through the council where you live by 31 October in your child's Year 6, for a place starting the following September. You apply to your home council even if Thomas Gainsborough School is in another council's area, and can usually list between 3 and 6 schools in order of preference. Offers are sent on 1 March, or the next working day.
Thomas Gainsborough School's catchment area comes from its admission criteria, set by its academy trust, which decide who is offered a place when more children apply than there are places. Children in care or adopted from care come first by law. Most schools put brothers and sisters of current pupils next, then distance from home or a catchment boundary, and the school's admissions policy says which it uses. Living nearby does not guarantee a place, and how far away the last place went changes every year, depending on who applies.
Thomas Gainsborough School had 1,584 pupils aged 11 to 18 at the latest school census. Its official capacity is 1,400. It is a mixed school with a sixth form.