Hedingham School and Sixth FormThomas Gainsborough School
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side.
Summary of the comparison
Hedingham School and Sixth Form and Thomas Gainsborough School are secondary schools.
Hedingham School and Sixth Form scores 52 out of 100 (grade D, below average) and Thomas Gainsborough School scores 65 out of 100 (grade C, average). Thomas Gainsborough School is ahead on our composite score.
Hedingham School and Sixth Form was judged Good and Thomas Gainsborough School was judged strong.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 43.5 for Hedingham School and Sixth Form and 46.7 for Thomas Gainsborough School.
GCSE Attainment 8 has held broadly level at Hedingham School and Sixth Form (44.2 in 2021-22, 43.5 in 2025-26) and has fallen at Thomas Gainsborough School (49.1 in 2021-22, 46.7 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | HalsteadHedingham School and Sixth Form | SudburyThomas Gainsborough School | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | D52/100 | C65/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 52nd of 80 in Essex | 2nd of 43 in Suffolk | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: StrongStronger figure | |
| School type | Academy converter | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,177 | 1,603 | |
| Capacity | 1,168 | 1,400 | |
| Location | Halstead, CO9 3QH | Sudbury, CO10 0NH | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 43.5 | 46.7 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 40.4% | 43.7% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 62.2% | 66.4% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 193 | 277 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 68 | 116 | |
| A-level average points | 28.4 | 36.1 Stronger figure | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | C | B- | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 29.1 | 38.2 Stronger figure | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 13.3% | 13.8% Stronger figure | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,155 | 1,615 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 16.0% | 20.1% | |
| English as an additional language | 1.4% | 4.1% | |
| SEN support | 22.0% | 13.9% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 2.9% | 3.0% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 10.4% | 8.3% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 26.6% | 21.5% Stronger figure | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
A-level average points
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Hedingham School and Sixth Form
Thomas Gainsborough School
Full profiles: Hedingham School and Sixth Form · Thomas Gainsborough School