Ilketshall St Lawrence School

About Ilketshall St Lawrence School

Ilketshall St Lawrence School is a small state primary in the Suffolk village of Ilketshall St Lawrence, within the East Suffolk borough. It sits in a competitive local landscape: among the 253 primary schools in the Suffolk local authority, it ranks 25th, placing it comfortably in the top 10% of its peers. Its closest rivals in the area, based on ranking scores, are Stratford St Mary Primary School, Somerleyton Primary School, and Wenhaston Primary School, all of which score higher on the same metric. The school is led by headteacher Sarah Orves and serves 101 pupils, just shy of its 105-capacity. It is a mixed, non-religious school for children aged 4 to 11, with no nursery or sixth form provision. The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving 23 applications for 15 places, with 16 of those as first preferences — a ratio of 1.53 applicants per place, indicating strong local demand.

Academically, Ilketshall St Lawrence performs well above the Suffolk average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 77% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, compared to the local authority average of 58%. The school’s ranking score of 77 places it in the top 25% nationally and 11th out of 72 schools in the East Suffolk district. Subject-level scores are strong: 92% of pupils reached the expected standard in both reading and writing, and 85% in maths. At the higher standard, 38% achieved in reading, 31% in maths, and 23% in writing, with 15% reaching the higher bar across all three subjects. Reading and maths average scaled scores were 108 and 106 respectively. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2021, confirmed it remains Good, with leadership and management also rated Good. Its previous graded inspection in 2013 also awarded Good overall, with early years provision rated as Requires Improvement at that time.

The school offers a range of facilities including a Forest School, music rooms, playing fields, a library, a sensory room, and a chapel. Sports provision includes gymnastics, swimming, rounders, and cross country, while extracurricular clubs cover choir, drama, coding, and chess. For children with additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, physical disabilities, and other difficulties. With 17.8% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a mixed catchment. Given its oversubscription, strong academic outcomes relative to the local average, and small size, this school will particularly suit families seeking a village primary with a strong academic record and a broad range of enrichment activities, though early planning for admissions is essential.

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