Elm Tree Primary School

Elm Tree Primary School has made significant progress since its last inspection, moving from a 'Requires Improvement' grade to a solid 'Good' overall. The school fosters a strong community ethos where pupils feel safe, happy, and proud of their school. Noteworthy is the outstanding behaviour and attitudes observed among the students, showcasing their exemplary manners, empathy, and ability to resolve conflicts independently. The leadership team demonstrates a commitment to improving educational outcomes, with a strong focus on reading, which has been prioritized through effective teacher training.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit outstanding behaviour and positive attitudes.
• The school has established a strong community ethos.
• Effective and consistent teaching of reading has been prioritized.
• Leaders provide tailored support for pupils with special educational needs.
• The curriculum is ambitious and encourages inquisitive learning.
• Pupils contribute positively to their community and support one another.

Areas for Improvement

• Some subjects lack consistent opportunities for pupils to recall and demonstrate previously learned knowledge.

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 Elm Tree Primary School attended 95.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.7% 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, 2.6% of pupils at Elm Tree Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 Elm Tree Primary School had 14.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.6% 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, 6.8% of pupils at Elm Tree Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.5% 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 Elm Tree Primary School received £6,736 and spent £7,282 for each of its 271 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £250,000 (£923 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of Evolution Academy Trust, income was £6,922 and spending £7,234 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

Elm Tree Primary School is part of Evolution Academy Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• Dell Primary School Lowestoft
• Poplars Community Primary School Lowestoft
• Filby Primary School Great Yarmouth
• Coldfair Green Community Primary School Saxmundham
• Bignold Primary School and Nursery Norwich
• Eaton Primary School Norwich
• Angel Road Junior School Norwich
• Angel Road Infant School Norwich
• Nelson Infant School Norwich
• Wensum Junior School Norwich

What is Elm Tree Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Elm Tree Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2022.

When was Elm Tree Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Elm Tree Primary School was last inspected in September 2022.

How many pupils does Elm Tree Primary School have?

Elm Tree Primary School has 266 pupils on roll.

What age range does Elm Tree Primary School cover?

Elm Tree Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Elm Tree Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Elm Tree Primary School?

Elm Tree Primary School is at Ranworth Avenue, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 9HN.