Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy

Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy has shown significant improvement since its last inspection, achieving a 'Good' rating in all areas except for Leadership and Management, which is deemed 'Outstanding'. The school creates a supportive environment where pupils feel safe and happy, demonstrating excellent behavior and strong engagement in their learning. The leadership team has effectively designed a curriculum that caters to the diverse needs of all students, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs. However, there are areas that require further attention, particularly in ensuring all teachers possess the necessary subject knowledge to teach effectively.

Strengths

• Leaders have a clear focus on helping pupils thrive in their education.
• The curriculum reflects high aspirations for all pupils.
• Pupils feel safe and valued within the school environment.
• Reading is prioritized and well-integrated into the curriculum.
• Strong support is provided for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Pupils are engaged and encouraged to take on responsibilities.
• Effective personal development programs enhance pupils' well-being.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers lack the subject knowledge needed for effective teaching.
• Pupils' understanding of different cultures and faiths is underdeveloped.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy attended 94.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 7.9% of pupils at Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy had 16.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 25.1% of pupils at Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy received £7,667 and spent £7,703 for each of its 332 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £76,000 (£228 per pupil).

Across all 65 schools of Reach2 Academy Trust, income was £7,346 and spending £7,105 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 Lowestoft · Suffolk local authority: places and applications

Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy is part of Reach2 Academy Trust, which runs 65 schools. The nearest others:

• St Margaret's Primary Academy Lowestoft
• Gunton Primary Academy Lowestoft
• Phoenix St Peter Academy Lowestoft, Suffolk
• The Limes Primary Academy Lowestoft
• Beccles Primary Academy Beccles
• Martlesham Primary Academy Woodbridge
• Sprites Primary Academy Ipswich
• Kirby Primary Academy Frinton-On-Sea
• Camulos Academy Colchester
• Burrsville Infant Academy Clacton-On-Sea

What is Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in October 2022.

When was Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy was last inspected in October 2022.

How many pupils does Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy have?

Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy has 311 pupils on roll.

What age range does Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy cover?

Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy?

Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy is at St Margaret's Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 4HN.