[24] The All-Through Academy Trust received the go-ahead from the Department of Education in September 2015 to create a Technical Academy alongside its traditional academic pathway offering 14-18-year-old students vocational education in Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering (STEM) working alongside industry to allowing a work-place based study.

Current industry and University partners include Microsoft, ARM, Bosch, British Sugar, Claas UK, BT, EDF, Marshall Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, Redgate Software, Treatt, UK Power Networks, Vitec, Suffolk Education Business Partnership and the University of East Anglia.

[25][26] The Trust, in this instance led by County High, has become an Early Adopter of the World Class Schools Quality Mark.

A large red brick building, the former Falconbury School and site of the original Northgate House, had been purchased for the purpose in 1904, then altered and improved.

In 1964 the County Grammar School for Girls moved from its Northgate Street site to brand new premises at the end of Tollgate Lane (now known as Beetons Way) in north west Bury St Edmunds.

The old single-sex state grammar school system, which separated children by gender and ability in Suffolk no longer exists.

[28] The original West Suffolk County School coat of arms, seen above the old Northgate Street building entrance, consist of a gold cross fleury between five martlets on a blue shield and were the arms of Edward the Confessor, who in the 11th century granted land to the abbey of St Edmund,[29] and those of the old West Suffolk County Council.

[30] The contemporary County High School coat of arms has four birds around a cross surmounted by the Saxon Crown[31] of St Edmund, the last King of East Anglia.

[35] The most recent workforce statistics from the Department for Education[36] indicates the Academy's pupil-teacher ratio of 14.4:1 is lower than both the Suffolk LEA average of 16:1 in Secondary Schools and 15.7:1 for England as a whole.

[37] The Ofsted inspection on 18–19 September 2013 rated County High School as Grade 1 - Outstanding for overall effectiveness and Grade 1 - Outstanding in all 4 inspection categories: Achievement of pupils; Quality of teaching; Behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management for both the main school and Sixth Form; its 8th successive "Outstanding" rating from Ofsted since 1998[38][39][40] The June 2013 Ofsted Report into the achievement of the top 30% most able pupils in non-selective comprehensive schools in England[41][42] visited County High School and gave a Grade 1 "Outstanding" rating for all five categories it inspected: Transfer, transition and induction; Most able achievement; Teaching, learning and assessment; Curriculum; Support and guidance[43] The Education Act 2011[44] proposed that schools assessed as being Grade 1 "Outstanding" on their last inspection will not be subject to routine inspection unless concerns are raised with Ofsted about their performance.

Following the most recent inspection in March 2019, County High School was downgraded to 'inadequate' by Ofsted following the failure of leaders to "ensure pupils' safety".

[11][73] The school offers Latin, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish for all pupils with Italian in the Sixth Form.

It runs an overseas exchange programme to Kyoto in Japan, the Ancona region of Italy, Guadalajara, Spain and the Rhineland area of Germany.

The school over 30 weekly extra-curricular sports clubs and activities,[78][79] its facilities include a sports hall, gymnasium, a mini-sports hall, a fitness suite, a PE lab, six tennis and netball courts, two full-sized football pitches, cricket nets and a floodlit all-weather hockey/five-a-side football pitch all on site.

It has achieved the Football Association Charter Standard Secondary Development School status in recognition for the quality of its coaching.

Pupils are accommodated locally, attend the school and regularly[100] enter regional and national-level competitions,[101] tour the US and have achieved scholarships to US Basketball Colleges.

[103] County High has achieved an Artsmark Gold award for its wide range of musical, dance and theatrical groups and events.

It earned a "Distinction" designation from Education Extra[citation needed] for its extensive range of extra-curricular activities consisting of more than weekly 60[122] clubs and activities, its musical, drama & dance productions, the Duke of Edinburgh Award[123] scheme (Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards) and its frequent sports, music and expeditionary tours abroad to countries including Malta, Jersey, Spain, Germany, Turkey, South Africa, Madagascar, Borneo and the USA.

[75][124] The school's annual Charity Fortnight, organised by the Sixth Form, raises funds for local, national and international good causes.

[127] St Edmundsbury Borough Council awarded the school catering department a maximum 5 star rating in October 2010.