Four Suffolk schools in The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide

Ipswich School, Woodbridge School and St Benedict's Catholic School in Bury St Edmunds all feature in The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2024.

Ipswich School was named the best independent school in Suffolk, while coming in sixth across the Eastern region and 126th nationally.

Ipswich School headmaster Nicholas Weaver (Image: Ipswich School)

Woodbridge School ranked ninth in local tables and 186th nationally. 

Bury St Edmunds' St Benedict's Catholic School was named the fourth best comprehensive school in East Anglia.

Ipswich High School came 242nd in the national rankings, up 80 places from last year, and had the highest A* rates at A Levels for local independent schools.

The guide is widely acknowledged as the most authoritative survey of the country’s top schools.

Helen Davies, editor of Parent Power, said: “The educational landscape continues to be challenging across both the state and independent sectors, and this is the first true assessment of post-pandemic exam results.

"We believe these rankings – and all the additional information on offer in Parent Power – provide parents with a more reliable guide to academic achievement in schools today. 

“The guide showcases academic excellence but also celebrates schools who may not be right at the top but are rising, innovating and helping pupils flourish. Being a teenager is hard enough, and the past few years since Covid have made life even harder. It is heartening to highlight the achievements of so many students and schools across the UK."

Nicholas Weaver, Ipswich School headmaster, said: “We are delighted once again to see that we are recognised in this guide for our academic excellence.

"Our teachers have a genuine passion for their subjects and use this to encourage all our pupils to achieve their potential, as our exam results show.

 “We are a very popular choice in East Anglia and whilst our excellent academic results contribute to this, we know that it is our exceptional co-curricular offering and the pastoral care we offer to all in our community that makes our school the success it is.”

Woodbridge head of school Shona Norman said: “It is superb news for our school, students and staff to be recognised in this way. 

"Having recently been awarded Best Secondary School (Independent and State) in Suffolk at the Suffolk Education Awards in November, with educationalists making that decision, to now be nominated and supported by our parent body in this way confirms what we already know to be true – that our parents have a genuine trust and love for Woodbridge School as a community too."