Pakefield Primary School, Lowestoft

Ofsted's report card from its 10 February 2026 inspection grades Pakefield Primary School on 7 areas: 3 expected standard and 4 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Attendance is high, and leaders work closely with families who have children who struggle to come to school."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders have prioritised the early years and improved the quality of the provision."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "There is a well-sequenced curriculum for personal, social and health education, and also for relationships and sex education."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' experiences of learning through the school are disjointed because the quality of teaching is variable."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "There are some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching across the school."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "There are some inconsistencies in the ways that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported to access the curriculum."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "There have been substantial changes to leadership in recent years."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should develop staff's expertise in teaching writing so that this consistently improves the quality and accuracy of pupils' written work"; "Leaders should improve the ways that staff use information about pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities so that adaptations and support are put in place that are closely matched to pupils' needs and result in pupils achieving well"; "Leaders should improve the ways staff check pupils' knowledge and understanding, ensuring that gaps in knowledge are identified and filled quickly so pupils' knowledge builds securely and consistently"; "Leaders should further develop staff's skills in the early years, so interactions with children are consistently of a high standard and further support their communication and language development".

From the headteacher's welcome: "The staff and children of Pakefield Primary School would like to welcome you and your family to our school. At Pakefield Primary School, we understand that each and every child is unique."

The school runs a breakfast club.

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at Pakefield Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Suffolk and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 75% in reading and 68% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 29 families put Pakefield Primary School as their first choice and 58 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Pakefield Primary School are Westwood Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 82% reading, 82% maths); St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 71% reading, 75% maths); Phoenix St Peter Academy (1.1 miles, Requires improvement, 68% reading, 74% maths); and Elm Tree Primary School (1.1 miles, Good, 94% reading, 91% maths).

Pakefield Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Pakefield Primary School is one of 21 schools run by The Active Learning Trust Limited, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

79 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Pakefield Primary School (as of September 2026): 73% would recommend the school, 80% say their child is happy there and 42% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (80%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (42%).

4.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 29 pupils (10.6%) received SEN support and 14 (5.1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Entrance3, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.

17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Pakefield Primary School (outside), 60 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 58 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Suffolk (32), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Pakefield Primary School issued 20 suspensions, 6.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Pakefield Primary School are Pakefield High School (0.2 miles) and East Point Academy (1.2 miles).