Leiston Primary School, Leiston

Good
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Headteacher Mrs L Melton
Pupils:383 / 420 capacity
LA:Suffolk
Phone:01728830745
Address:King George's Avenue, Leiston, IP16 4JQ
Trust:EAST ANGLIAN SCHOOLS TRUST LTD
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 November 2014

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Requires Improvement

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Good

Early Years

Inspected 3 June 2025View full report
URN:141554
UKPRN:10047906
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Suffolk Coastal
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The school excels at caring for all pupils and supporting their well-being, with staff ensuring every child feels happy and respected. Reading instruction is particularly strong, with a well-implemented phonics programme helping pupils develop fluency and comprehension skills. Young children get an excellent start through the early years provision, which develops independence, communication and social skills effectively.

Key Strengths

  • Strong phonics programme with rising reading standards and well-trained staff
  • Early years provision is well thought out with children getting a good start
  • Pupils behave well, are kind and respectful with good attendance support for vulnerable families
  • School prioritises pupil well-being and provides extensive educational trips and enrichment activities
  • Leadership has brought about rapid, much-needed changes since the previous inspection

Areas for Improvement

  • Assessment in core subjects does not effectively identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge, causing some pupils to fall behind
  • Teaching does not consistently support pupils' cognitive learning needs, particularly those with SEND
  • In foundation subjects, teachers focus on activity completion rather than building pupils' understanding of concepts
  • Some pupils do not learn as well as they should in English and mathematics

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with the school creating a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Educational trips and visits, 11-by-11 activities (11 things to do by age 11), school council, extensive range of community opportunities

Leiston Primary School prioritises pupil well-being and has made substantial improvements since the previous inspection, particularly for the youngest and oldest pupils. However, the quality of education requires improvement due to inconsistent curriculum implementation and gaps in assessment practices.

At a Glance

34.4%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

32 responses
Would recommend84%
Child is happy88%
Well taught91%
Good progress81%
Feels safe91%
Well behaved84%
Bullying dealt with9%
Kept informed91%
Handles concerns50%
Wider development75%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+9ppMaths+15ppWriting+2pp

Reading has improved from 57% to 66%. Maths has improved from 57% to 72%. Writing has remained stable at around 68%.

Class Sizes

25.7

Avg class size

25.3

Infant (KS1)

26.0

KS2

14

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Alde Valley Academy (o/s)
303m · 5 min walk
Car Park (opp)
332m · 5 min walk
Minden Drive (adj)
523m · 8 min walk
Library (opp)
668m · 11 min walk
Paradise Place (adj)
767m · 12 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

91%

Near capacity

383 pupils

420 capacity

37 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Leiston

Medium pressure
New homes approved:138
Projected new pupils:35

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Leiston

Admissions Demand - Suffolk

Low demand0.73x oversubscription

Places available

8,896

Applications

6,486

Got 1st preference

96.3%

Got preferred school

99.4%

Primary admissions across Suffolk (2025/26)

Inspection History(3)

3 June 2025
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Early YearsGood
25 April 2023
30 November 2017
Leadership & ManagementGood

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

6.17899%

Overall absence

16.61538%

Persistent absence

325

Enrolments

Authorised4.3252%
Unauthorised1.85378%
Persistent (10%+)16.61538%
Severe (50%+)1.23077%

Absence trend

5.31516%
18/19
6.05451%
20/21
8.23355%
21/22
8.11921%
22/23
7.55181%
23/24
6.17899%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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