Sunrise Academy, Lowestoft
Sunrise Academy is a special school for pupils aged 9 to 16 in Lowestoft, part of Eastern Education Group Trust.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Sunrise Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Sunrise Academy are Warren School (1.1 miles, Inadequate); Ness Point School (3.2 miles, Good); and The Ashley School (3.5 miles, Outstanding).
The trust
Sunrise Academy is one of 10 schools run by Eastern Education Group Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 12 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 50% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 33% to a further education college.
Who goes there
68.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Sunrise Academy has an education, health and care plan (51 of 51 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Entrance3, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Playing Field (opposite), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Sunrise Academy stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 49 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Suffolk (32), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Sunrise Academy issued 31 suspensions, 70.5 for every 100 pupils, and 2 permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sunrise Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2022. Before that, as The Everitt Academy (URN 144765), it was rated Inadequate in September 2019.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Sunrise Academy excels at supporting each child's individual needs with compassionate, well-trained staff who understand the importance of social and emotional wellbeing. The school has high academic expectations and helps pupils catch up with their learning, particularly in reading. Parents can be confident their child will benefit from strong relationships with staff, excellent behaviour support, and thorough preparation for life after school.
Key Strengths
- Strong staff-pupil relationships with a focus on social, emotional and mental health support -
- Effective reading programme with well-trained staff helping pupils catch up and become confident readers -
- High expectations for all pupils with a curriculum that matches the ambition of the national curriculum -
- Skilled behaviour management creating a calm, orderly learning environment -
- Excellent attendance support, with most pupils' attendance improving significantly when they join
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils have gaps in writing skills (letter formation, spelling, punctuation, grammar) and the school does not provide consistent support to fill these gaps -
- Processes for checking that pupils achieve well at alternative provisions are not fully developed, making it difficult to evaluate effectiveness of placements
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff keeping pupils safe and creating an open culture where pupils' interests come first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports competitions, community events, Christmas fayre, college visits, post-16 destination visits, careers guidance, 'into adulthood' event
Sunrise Academy is a special school for pupils aged 9-16 with social, emotional and mental health needs, all of whom have an Education, Health and Care plan. The school has improved rapidly under trust leadership and provides a welcoming, compassionate environment where pupils settle well and learn successfully.
At a Glance
68.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby schools
Keep up with Sunrise Academy
Before and after school care
Sunrise Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Suffolk
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sunrise Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sunrise Academy is in Suffolk; for families living there:
Apply to Suffolk for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
51 pupils
52 places
1 spare place
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Lowestoft
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Lowestoft
Across Suffolk council
Places available
8,475
Applications
7,204
Got 1st preference
92.7%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All secondary applications across Suffolk council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
51
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
51
Total Pupils
32
Boys
19
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
3.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,753
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
36.8%
Overall absence
79.6%
Persistent absence
49
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Sunrise Academy
What are GCSE results like at Sunrise Academy?
In the 2025 results, pupils at Sunrise Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 2.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Sunrise Academy's Ofsted rating?
Sunrise Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2022. Before that, as The Everitt Academy (URN 144765), it was rated Inadequate in September 2019.
What is the catchment area for Sunrise Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Sunrise Academy is oversubscribed, Suffolk allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Sunrise Academy?
Sunrise Academy has around 51 pupils on roll. 69% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Sunrise Academy?
36.8% of sessions were missed at Sunrise Academy in 2024/25. 79.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sunrise Academy?
Apply through Suffolk's coordinated admissions process, naming Sunrise Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Sunrise Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Sunrise Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Sunrise Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Suffolk is 4 (the median across 365 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sunrise Academy?
Sunrise Academy is at Church Lane, Lowestoft, NR33 8AX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)