Ipswich School
Same Suffolk area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
Finborough School is a private secondary-stage school in Stowmarket, Suffolk, with a published age range of 2-19.
Private school Co-ed Ages 2-19 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-19
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
Finborough School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-19
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Learnability is Finborough School's name for the habits and character it wants pupils to develop alongside academic study. Nursery and Prep lead through Senior School to Sixth Form in a co-educational day-and-boarding route for ages 2 to 19. Sport, creative activity and technology share the programme with a traditional academic curriculum.
Entry points include 4+, 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+, as well as the earlier years. Day pupils and boarders use the same sports, stage and creative opportunities, while boarding offers full, weekly and occasional flexi arrangements. Boarders live in a refurbished house and take part in the wider calendar.
Admissions begin with a parent-and-pupil interview and previous reports, followed by taster days; prospective boarders may stay overnight. Academic and behavioural assessments inform the decision. Academic, medical, sports and arts scholarships are available, so the process combines assessment of learning with a chance to experience the residential and day provision directly.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 1.2% grade 5+ in English and maths and 37.5 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 12% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Suffolk and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 37.5
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 1.2%
- EBacc APS
- 2.89
- EBacc entry
- 1.2%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Suffolk and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 2-19
- Headteacher
- Mr Steven Clark
- Pupil roll
- 716 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- The Hall, Great Finborough, Stowmarket, Suffolk
- Postcode
- IP14 3EF
- Area
- Suffolk
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mr Steven Clark
School contact
- School phone
- 01449773600
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01449773600
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Boarding fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 37.5 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 1.2% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 1.2% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 2.89 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 12% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 27.44 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 7 November 2023
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2023 records an inspection beginning 7 November 2023. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Finborough School handle admissions?
Finborough School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Finborough School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Finborough School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Finborough School?
Finborough School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 7 November 2023.