St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School
Kirkley Cliff Road, Lowestoft, NR33 0DGOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School is a primary school in Lowestoft for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 357 schools in Suffolk. It ranks 16th of 19 primary schools in Lowestoft. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in April 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 30 April 2024, report published 12 June 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 30 April 2024
Pupils here are well cared for. Their teachers are kind and supportive and listen to any concerns they may have. This assures pupils that they are kept safe. The school sets high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils reflect these in their positive and respectful attitudes, both in and out of lessons. Pupils demonstrate the school's 'STAR' values throughout the school day. They listen well to their teachers and each other. Pupils enjoy learning and find lessons interesting. Staff have high ambitions for everyone. Pupils rise to this by concentrating hard and trying their best. Pupils are encouraged to explore new learning. Current work in books shows pupils are well supported to meet the aims of the curriculum. Pupils participate in environmental projects. For example, older pupils have worked with a local environmentalist, gathering plastics from the beach in front of their school grounds and learning about the impact of plastics in the ocean. Pupils benefit from a range of clubs in sports, science, arts and gardening. They learn new skills and develop their interests. They have meaningful opportunities to develop their leadership and teamwork skills through school council, reading buddy and house captain roles.
What the school should improve
- The reading books chosen by older pupils are not always closely matched to their reading ability. This can hinder how well pupils catch up or means pupils are not extending their reading further. Teachers need to ensure that the reading curriculum is precise about the key reading knowledge older pupils need to know and that reading books to rehearse these skills are well matched to this curriculum.
- In a few subjects, checks on what pupils know and remember are not fully developed. This means that in these few subjects, staff cannot precisely identify whether pupils have fully secured the knowledge in the depth intended or if gaps remain. The school should ensure that it checks robustly how well pupils can recall the knowledge needed to meet the ambitious curriculum aims.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
28 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
155 pupils on roll, with places for 210
Schools near St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix St Peter Academy | 0.4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 58% met the expected standard |
| Red Oak Primary School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 88% met the expected standard |
| Westwood Primary School | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Good | 68% met the expected standard |
| Pakefield Primary School | 0.9 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | 63% met the expected standard |
| Roman Hill Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good | 33% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Helen Armstrong
- Phone
- 01502565384
- Address
- Kirkley Cliff Road, Lowestoft, NR33 0DG
- Local authority
- Suffolk
- URN
- 142806
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.