Northgate High School is a mainstream secondary school in Ipswich, Suffolk, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 224 of its 1,750 pupils (12.8%) were getting SEN support and 89 (5.1%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,750 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Suffolk.
12.8% get SEN support
224 of 1,750 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
5.1% have an EHC plan
89 of 1,750 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health69
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia65
- Speech, language and communication42
- Autism41
- Moderate learning difficulty15
- Physical disability8
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Council-run school
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,750 (places for 1,777)
- Headteacher
- Miss Rowena Mackie
- Free school meals
- 19.5% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Suffolk
- School reference (URN)
- 124840
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Suffolk council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, December 2024; school remains Good (November 2019)
Inspected in December 2024. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, November 2019).
Contact and getting there
Sidegate Lane West, Ipswich, IP4 3DL
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Rushmere Hall Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Sidegate Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Woodbridge Road Academy Special school · Ages 9–16 0.8 miles
- Redstone Hall School Independent · Ages 7–16 1.5 miles
Other mainstream schools
- St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Ipswich Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 10.8%, EHC plans 1.9% 0.6 miles
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Ipswich Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 6.7%, EHC plans 4.8% 0.7 miles
- St Alban's Catholic High School Secondary · Ages 11–18 · SEN support 10%, EHC plans 3% 1.0 mile
Questions about Northgate High School
How many pupils at Northgate High School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 224 of the 1,750 pupils (12.8%) were getting SEN support and 89 (5.1%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Northgate High School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (69 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (65 pupils) and speech, language and communication needs (42 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Northgate High School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Northgate High School?
Through Suffolk council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Northgate High School?
You can ask for Northgate High School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Northgate High School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Rushmere Hall Primary School, about 0.4 miles away.
Where is Northgate High School?
Sidegate Lane West, Ipswich, IP4 3DL, in Suffolk.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.