Debenham High School Catchment Area
Debenham High School is an academy converter secondary school in Stowmarket, Suffolk , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 699 pupils, and a capacity of 625 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
11-16
Age range
699
Pupils
625
Capacity
112%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2023
Debenham High School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Debenham High School?
The catchment area for Debenham High School is the geographic zone Suffolk uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Suffolk publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Admission to Debenham High School is managed by Suffolk and typically includes both faith criteria and catchment area proximity. The weighting given to each criterion depends on the school's published oversubscription policy, which is reviewed annually.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Suffolk publishes the 2027 Debenham High School numbers →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Suffolk before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Suffolk catchment area documents →Debenham High School: heavily oversubscribed at 112% capacity
Debenham High School has a published admission number of 625 places. 699 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 112%. At 112% capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed. Suffolk allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. Living within the catchment area is a strong but not guaranteed advantage, as the last distance offered shrinks each year as applications rise.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 13% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of Stowmarket.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Suffolk publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Suffolk Council school admissions (official) →
Debenham High School: School Information
- Full address
- Gracechurch Street, Debenham, Stowmarket, IP14 6BL
- Local authority
- Suffolk
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 13% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 136416
Other Secondary Schools in Stowmarket
If Debenham High School is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Stowmarket are the next closest alternatives.
Other Church of England Schools in Suffolk
Debenham High School shares its religious character with these Church of England schools across Suffolk. Faith criteria typically sit alongside catchment distance in each school's admissions policy.
Acton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Sudbury
Barnham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Nr Thetford
Barningham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Bury St Edmunds
Barrow Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Bury St Edmunds
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Debenham High School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Debenham High School
What is the catchment area for Debenham High School? ▾
The catchment area for Debenham High School is the geographic zone Suffolk uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Suffolk publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Debenham High School oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, Debenham High School currently has 699 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 625 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for Debenham High School? ▾
Debenham High School uses both faith criteria and catchment area proximity in its admissions policy. The weighting is reviewed annually and published by Suffolk before each admissions cycle.
What age range does Debenham High School cover? ▾
Debenham High School is a secondary school in Stowmarket, Suffolk, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Debenham High School? ▾
Debenham High School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.