> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How Ipswich and Suffolk's schools and colleges fared on GCSE results day - URL: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/how-ipswich-and-suffolks-schools-and-colleges-fared-on-gcse-results-day/ - Published: 2026-08-20T13:41:23.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-20T13:41:23.000Z - Description: From record-breaking grades at the town's independent schools to rising English and maths passes at Suffolk New College, results day 2026 brought good news across the town. - Author: Oliver Rouane-Williams - Tags: Long Reads, Secondary Education, Further Education, Ipswich School, Ipswich High School, St Joseph's College, Suffolk New College Students across the town collected their GCSE results today, with schools and colleges reporting strong outcomes across the board – including for pupils sitting exams for the first time, adult learners returning to study, and one young refugee whose story has captured attention well beyond the classroom. ## Ipswich School: a summer double A week after celebrating its best A-level results in two decades, Ipswich School added another landmark set of results to the tally. Of the 122 pupils who received their GCSE results, more than 60% of all grades were awarded at 7, 8 or 9 (the equivalent of the old A\*/A), with more than 40% awarded at grade 8 or 9. Thirteen pupils achieved a "clean sweep" of grades 7, 8 or 9 across all ten of their GCSE subjects, while 65 of the 122 pupils – more than half the Year 11 cohort – secured grades of 7, 8 or 9 in at least seven of their subjects. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/2026/08/Ipswich-School-2026-GCSE-Results-04-1.JPG) Year 11 students at Ipswich School with their results (Photo: Ipswich School) The school's grade 7+ proportion is well above the national average for independent schools, which stood at 47.1% this year, according to Department for Education data covering all subjects. Head Nick Gregory said: "I want to offer my congratulations to Ipswich School pupils and teachers alike for this outstanding set of GCSE results. What has most caught my eye today is the sheer breadth and consistency of high level achievement reflected here, with over half of the Year 11 cohort (65 of the 122 pupils in total) securing grades 7, 8 or 9 (previously A\*/A) in at least seven of their subjects." Andrew Bradshaw, Head of Middle School, added: "This cohort, many of whom have been together since the Prep School, has secured academic successes to accompany their exceptional contributions to the co-curricular side of school life, including Sport, Music, Drama and CCF." The results follow the school's best A-level performance in 20 years, announced on 13 August, when 84% of grades were awarded at A\*-B or their BTEC equivalent, and 53% were graded A\* or A. [Ipswich School caps summer double with GCSE successA week after enjoying its best A Level results in two decades, Ipswich School is celebrating another strong set of results, with well over 60% of GCSE grades awarded at 7, 8 or 9.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/icon/ipswich-icon-a3418e04-f306-4d69-a02f-21fe63f27915.png)Ipswich.co.ukOliver Rouane-Williams![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/thumbnail/Ipswich-School-2026-GCSE-Results-01-1-62555abd-4857-455d-9b9b-397d59c86b2b.JPG)](https://www.ipswich.co.uk/ipswich-school-caps-summer-double-with-gcse-success/) ## Ipswich High School: a three-year upward trend At Ipswich High School in Woolverstone, this year's GCSE results continued what the school describes as a three-year upward trend in individual pupil Value Added, coming alongside strong A-level performances the previous week. The school reported particularly strong performances in Latin, Classics, French, Spanish, Art, Food Studies and History. Among the individual successes celebrated were Astrid, who achieved seven grade 9s and two grade 8s, and Myla, who achieved seven grade 9s, one grade 8 and one grade 7. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/2026/08/Aug26-IHSGCSE-06877-1.jpg) Ipswich High School students celebrating their results (Photo: Ipswich High School) "I'm really happy with my results," Astrid said. "I'm so pleased I got a 9 in History, as I doubted myself and thought I was going to get a 6! I'm so relieved that all the hard work has paid off. I'm now going to study Maths, Chemistry, Biology and History." Myla, who is moving into the school's Sixth Form, said: "Getting 9's in subjects is amazing, so improving from my mocks, I wasn't expecting it. I'm going to study History, Politics, Economic and Religious Studies." Also among the standout results were Ariella, who achieved seven grade 9s, three grade 8s and one grade 7, and Oliver, who achieved three grade 9s, one grade 8 and five grade 7s. "I think everyone lowers their expectations, then I opened the results and did so much better than expected," Oliver said. "I'm doing history A level as one of my subjects next year, and I got a 9 in History, so I am really happy." Head Dan Browning said: "Results Day is an important moment and there is so much for our Year 11 pupils to be proud of today. These grades represent years of work, perseverance and encouragement from their teachers, families and friends, but they are also only one part of each young person's story." Last week's A-level results at the school showed one in three grades awarded A\*-A, while the Extended Project Qualification saw 90% of pupils achieve A\*-A. The school also reported 100% success for its Oxbridge applicants, with 94% offered their first or second choice, and 100% success for pupils pursuing degree apprenticeships, including with EDF at Sizewell C and OCS. Founded in 1878, Ipswich High School is approaching its 150th anniversary. [Ipswich High School pupils celebrate strong GCSE resultsIpswich High School pupils achieved excellent GCSE outcomes across a broad range of subjects this year, with English a standout as 90% achieved grade 5 or above.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/icon/ipswich-icon-00c01ad2-c114-427c-953a-61d033c5ce71.png)Ipswich.co.ukOliver Rouane-Williams![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/thumbnail/Aug26-IHSGCSE-06941-1-345240c4-0995-49a4-9806-923629ce4e23.jpg)](https://www.ipswich.co.uk/ipswich-high-school-pupils-celebrate-strong-gcse-results/) ## St Joseph's College: ahead of the national average At St Joseph's College, 27% of GCSE entries were graded 9 to 7 – five percentage points above the national average of 22%, which the college says reflects both its academic ambition and its inclusive approach as a non-academically selective school. Student Max achieved grade 9s across nine different subjects, while the college reported particularly strong performances in Fine Art, Biology, Spanish and History. Younger pupils also had cause for celebration, with the college reporting that 100% of FPQ (Further Project Qualification) students achieved A\*-A, and 86% achieving A-C in the Higher Project Qualification (HPQ). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/2026/08/St-Jo-s-Max-celebrates-stunning-GCSE-results-1.jpg) St Jo's Max celebrates his GCSE results (Photo: St Joseph's College) Principal Danielle Clarke said: "Results Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our students and the hard work, determination and growth behind every result. What makes us particularly proud at St Jo's is that our students do not all begin from the same starting point or follow the same path." "We believe high academic ambition and an inclusive community belong together," she added. "Today's results are a powerful reflection of what our students can achieve when they are given the appropriate environment alongside expectations and support to meet them." Deputy principal Sacha Cinnamond said the FPQ and HPQ qualifications "enable students to study areas of personal interest that can be bespoke to their individual goals and destinations", helping to build research skills and independent learning. [St Joseph’s students celebrate GCSE resultsSt Joseph’s College students are celebrating their GCSE results today, with 27% of entries graded nine to seven – five percentage points above the national average of 22%.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/icon/ipswich-icon-9aef65c7-b90f-410e-9a59-0c338ba9d28e.png)Ipswich.co.ukOliver Rouane-Williams![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/thumbnail/St-Jo-s-Max-celebrates-stunning-GCSE-results-9a56d2d8-ddfc-4397-bb04-07a8fdb38da3.jpg)](https://www.ipswich.co.uk/st-josephs-students-celebrate-gcse-results/) ## Suffolk New College: passes rise across maths and English At Suffolk New College, 502 learners across its Ipswich, Otley, Halesworth and Leiston campuses achieved a grade 4 or above in maths or English this year. Of those, 228 gained a maths GCSE at grade 4 or above – a 13.7% increase on 2025 – while 274 achieved a grade 4 or above pass in English. The college said the majority of those involved were young people retaking the exams, alongside students on English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programmes. Adult learners also featured strongly, with 20% more gaining a grade 4 or above pass in English compared with 2025. Marianne Flack, Deputy Principal of Suffolk New College, said: "The numbers are going up in terms of passes, we have had some fantastic individual achievements so a big congratulations to our students and staff for all of their hard work." The college's results are framed around English and maths passes among retake and adult learners, rather than a whole-cohort grade distribution, so they are not directly comparable to the all-subject national figures reported elsewhere in this piece. [Maths and English GCSE passes rise at Suffolk New CollegeA total of 502 Suffolk New College learners achieved a grade 4 or above in maths or English this year, with maths passes up 13.7% on 2025.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/icon/ipswich-icon-b7ebdf4a-5f03-4bd2-81b7-ef03ec25811d.png)Ipswich.co.ukOliver Rouane-Williams![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/thumbnail/1---Marianne-Flack-is-the-Deputy-Principal-of-Suffolk-New-College-ed1c4718-cc67-4f8d-a727-fb676a8e3617.JPG)](https://www.ipswich.co.uk/maths-and-english-gcse-passes-rise-at-suffolk-new-college/) Among Suffolk New College's individual successes was Nasser Hamid, 20, an ESOL student who fled war-torn Sudan in 2023 and settled in Ipswich. He gained grade 4 passes in both English and maths, supported by the college and Suffolk Refugee Support. Nasser had wanted to be a footballer before injury ended that ambition, so he channelled his energy into becoming a football referee instead, continuing to officiate Saturday and Sunday league football. This year he oversaw a charity match at Portman Road. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/2026/08/2---Nasser-Hamid---20-from-Ipswich-got-a-grade-4-in-GCSE-maths---after-securing-a-GCSE-in-English-in-November---he-has-dreams-of-becoming-a-big-time-referee-2.JPG) Nasser Hamid with his results (Photo: Suffolk New College) "I started at grassroots level and recently had the pleasure of stepping out at Portman Road – one of the greatest stadiums in England," he said. "It was eye opening. I recently went to the Edinburgh International Cup. And I'd like to continue to progress – to the Championship – the Premier League – and with the World Cup – who knows." On receiving his results, Nasser said: "I feel proud – it is one of the proudest moments in my life – this is the result I was waiting for to step forward. Thanks to Suffolk New College, without their help I wouldn't be standing here." He had a message for students following the same path: "A special message to fellow students on ESOL courses – just believe in yourself – with discipline and hard work, you can achieve your goals." Nasser now plans to study engineering, starting with an access course. "I'm also pushing forward to be an engineer – I'm on track," he said. "Next, I'm going to do an access course and then, hopefully, go to university to study engineering." ## The bottom line Results day 2026 has given Ipswich's schools and colleges plenty to celebrate, from clean sweeps of top grades at the town's independent schools to rising pass rates among retake students and adult learners at Suffolk New College. --- **Don't forget:** If you enjoy our content, please [add Ipswich.co.uk as a "preferred source" on Google](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=ipswich.co.uk&ref=ipswich.co.uk) so you can easily find more of the content you value. [Add as a preferred source on Google](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=ipswich.co.uk&ref=ipswich.co.uk) --- ### This article cost us \~£34 to produce It's free for you to read thanks to the generous support of our partners. Please support us by supporting them.