Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy
St Margaret's Road, Lowestoft, NR32 4HNOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy is a primary school in Lowestoft for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 357 schools in Suffolk. It ranks 9th of 19 primary schools in Lowestoft. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in July 2022.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 13 July 2022, report published 4 October 2022
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Outstanding
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 13 July 2022
Pupils at Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy are happy and safe. They earn 'nicely done' certificates for showing care or encouragement towards others. Pupils trust school staff, feeling listened to and valued. Pupils use the daily check-ins or 'talk it out triangles' to let staff know if they have any worries. As a result, bullying is rare, and resolved quickly when it happens. Pupils behave well and do their best to embody the school mantra of 'Look smart, think smart, be smart'. Pupils like the way that teachers arrange different means for them to demonstrate their learning, for example through class discussion, by creating a model or through a written explanation. Pupils learn to be community-minded through the range of responsibilities available. These include being a peg monitor in the early years or the head boy or girl in Year 6. Pupils benefit from the experiences the school offers through its personal development programme. Pupils enjoy taking part in activities such as sleeping under the stars and growing their own food.
What the school should improve
- On occasion, teachers' explanations lack clarity due to insufficient subject knowledge. When this occurs, pupils make mistakes and these are not readily noticed. Leaders must ensure that all teachers have the subject knowledge needed to teach the curriculum and a shared understanding of how best to check pupils' knowledge. This is so pupils do not get left behind.
- Pupils' understanding of different cultures and faiths is less well developed than other aspects of their personal development. As a result, some pupils struggle to identify commonalities or appreciate differences. Leaders should ensure that the school's curriculum and wider experiences broaden pupils' awareness of their own and others' culture and faith to prepare them well for life in modern Britain.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
49 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
311 pupils on roll, with places for 420
Schools near Northfield St Nicholas Primary Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Margaret's Primary Academy | 0.1 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | 51% met the expected standard |
| Poplars Community Primary School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement | 79% met the expected standard |
| Include Suffolk | 0.2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Roman Hill Primary School | 0.5 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good | 33% met the expected standard |
| Woods Loke Primary School | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | 75% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- REACH2 ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Iain Owens
- Phone
- 01502563528
- Address
- St Margaret's Road, Lowestoft, NR32 4HN
- Local authority
- Suffolk
- URN
- 142016
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.