Pakefield Primary School, Lowestoft
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Pakefield Primary creates a happy, calm environment where children thrive emotionally and develop strong reading skills, especially in the early years. Pupils benefit from excellent pastoral support and numerous leadership opportunities that help them feel valued and included. The school works hard to support attendance and remove barriers to learning, with particularly positive outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.
Key Strengths
- High attendance with effective support for families and strong focus on reducing barriers for disadvantaged pupils
- Calm, orderly environment with clear routines and consistent expectations for behavior
- Well-developed early years provision with effective reading instruction and good tracking of progress
- Positive relationships with parents and well-trained staff in pastoral support
- Recent improvements to reading curriculum with pupils enjoying books and developing vocabulary
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent quality of teaching across the school, with teachers not checking understanding and identifying misconceptions
- Poor basic skills in writing and handwriting for some pupils due to inconsistent teaching methods
- Growing attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and others
- Inconsistent support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
- Variable subject knowledge among teachers leading to activities that are sometimes too easy or too hard
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Book club, play leaders, library roles, council membership, quieter indoor clubs at lunchtime, trips including Norwich Castle
Pakefield Primary School is a calm, welcoming place where pupils are happy and attend well, with strong safeguarding and positive behavior. However, the quality of teaching varies across the school, affecting achievement in writing and mathematics, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs.
At a Glance
18.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 75%. Maths has improved from 68% to 78%. Writing has improved from 77% to 85%.
Class Sizes
25.9
Avg class size
26.3
Infant (KS1)
26.8
KS2
9
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
65%
Available places
274 pupils
420 capacity
146 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Lowestoft
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Lowestoft
Admissions Demand - Suffolk
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(14)
House Prices
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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.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.35302%
Overall absence
7.32601%
Persistent absence
273
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Pakefield Primary School
Nearby Schools
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