Stone Lodge Academy

Stone Lodge Academy is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 16 with moderate learning difficulties and often additional complex needs. It joined Eastern Education Group Trust in September 2024, and although the trust recognised that significant improvement was needed and has begun to act, inspectors found these changes are too recent to have had a positive impact. The inspection found serious weaknesses in safeguarding and in the quality of education, with pupils’ progress limited by a curriculum that is not consistently well planned or matched to their needs. Pupils generally behave well, feel cared for and build positive relationships with staff and peers, and many benefit from enrichment, trips and careers guidance. However, too many pupils are persistently absent, and the school’s attendance work is not effective. Reading and assessment are inconsistent, and some pupils do not get the support or challenge they need. Personal development works well for some pupils but is not sufficiently matched to all pupils’ needs, and governance and trust oversight are not yet holding the school to account effectively. Safeguarding arrangements are not effective, including oversight of harmful sexual behaviour and timely support for vulnerable pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils are polite, respectful and generally behave well, with little disruption to learning.
• Pupils feel well cared for and value strong relationships with staff.
• Pupils form positive relationships with peers and most enjoy school.
• Enrichment activities, including sports, help build pupils’ confidence.
• Personal development is effective for many pupils, including Duke of Edinburgh, horticulture, drama and trips.
• Careers education, advice and guidance are appropriate for preparing pupils for next steps.
• In some subjects, such as physical education, the curriculum is ambitious and teaching is well adapted.
• Staff and parents are broadly positive about the school.
• The trust recognised the need for significant improvement and has begun to act.

Areas for Improvement

• The curriculum lacks clear sequencing and precision in too many subjects, so work is not well matched to pupils’ abilities.
• Expectations are too low in some areas and many pupils do not achieve as highly as they should.
• Assessment is inconsistent and does not give teachers a clear understanding of what pupils know and can do.
• Reading provision is weak; the curriculum is not well matched and not all staff have the expertise to teach reading well.
• Phonics teaching is inconsistent, slowing pupils’ development as fluent readers.
• Attendance is poor for too many pupils and the school’s strategy and oversight are ineffective.
• Safeguarding is not effective, including processes for harmful sexual behaviour and timely support for vulnerable pupils.
• Governance and trust oversight are ineffective, including statutory safeguarding and attendance responsibilities.
• Personal development does not meet the needs of all pupils and some parts are not matched to their understanding.
• Weak links between primary and secondary phases create gaps in pupils’ learning.
• Staff are not consistently equipped to fulfil safeguarding responsibilities.

In 2024–25 pupils at Stone Lodge Academy attended 88.6% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 31.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Stone Lodge Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Stone Lodge Academy had 9.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Stone Lodge Academy had 175 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: moderate learning difficulty.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Stone Lodge Academy received £24,439 and spent £22,075 for each of its 173 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £290,000 (£1,675 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of Eastern Education Group Trust, income was £10,066 and spending £10,047 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Ipswich · Suffolk local authority: places and applications

Stone Lodge Academy is part of Eastern Education Group Trust, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• One Sixth Form College Ipswich
• Woolpit Primary Academy Bury St Edmunds
• Chalk Hill Sudbury
• Stanton Primary School Bury St. Edmunds
• Priory School Bury St Edmunds
• Abbeygate Sixth Form College Bury St Edmunds
• Exning Primary School Newmarket
• Sunrise Academy Lowestoft
• Duke of Lancaster School Fakenham

What is Stone Lodge Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Stone Lodge Academy is Inadequate, from an inspection in December 2025.

When was Stone Lodge Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Stone Lodge Academy was last inspected in December 2025.

How many pupils does Stone Lodge Academy have?

Stone Lodge Academy has 175 pupils on roll.

What age range does Stone Lodge Academy cover?

Stone Lodge Academy for pupils aged 5 to 16.

What are Stone Lodge Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Stone Lodge Academy?

Stone Lodge Academy is at Stone Lodge Lane West, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 9HW.