Lakenheath
Summary
Lakenheath (E02006239) is part of Suffolk local authority (view on map). Lakenheath has an approximate population of 8,800 people, of which 22% are children 15 years old and under. It is classified as "larger rural: further from a major town or city".
Lakenheath neighbours Littleport, South Ely, Southery, Feltwell & Hockwold, Brandon, and Beck Row, Eriswell & Barton Mills.
Headlines
- 11% of children are living in low-income families, ranking it among the 10% least deprived regarding income deprivation among children in England – see more.
- 3% of pupils have a first language known or believed to be other than English, placing it in the bottom 10% of all areas in England – see more.
Guidance and data sources
Local area pages are based on the middle-layer super output areas (MSOAs) distributed across the country. MSOAs comprise between 2,000 and 6,000 households and have a resident population of, generally, between 5,000 and 15,000 people. MSOAs fit within local authorities. For each area, descriptive statistics are compared with local authority and national averages. For more information about MSOAs, please visit the Office for National Statistics website.
The data displayed is sourced from:
Deprivation
Lakenheath is the least deprived area in Suffolk (out of 90) with 11% of children living in low-income families, compared to 31% across Suffolk and 38% nationally.
State-funded pupil characteristics
Information acquired from the school census.
Free school meals
In Lakenheath, 18% of state-funded pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared to 24% in Suffolk and 27% nationally.
Contents
Percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals
Table showing the percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals
| % in Lakenheath | % in Suffolk | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals | 18% | 24% | 27% |
| Not eligible for free school meals | 82% | 76% | 73% |
Special educational needs
In Lakenheath, 19% of pupils in state-funded settings have special educational needs (SEN), compared to 19% in Suffolk, and 19% nationally.
This includes the number of pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan and the number of pupils with SEN support.
Contents
Percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools
Table showing the percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools
| % in Lakenheath | % in Suffolk | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No special educational needs | 81% | 81% | 81% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 14% | 14% | 14% |
| With an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) | 5% | 5% | 5% |
Ethnicity
In Lakenheath, 11% of pupils are from a minority ethnic background, compared to 16% in Suffolk, and 33% nationally.
Percentages may not sum to 100%, due to small values being suppressed.
Contents
Percentage of pupils by major ethnic groups
Table
| % in Lakenheath | % in Suffolk | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 88% | 84% | 67% |
| Asian | – | 3% | 14% |
| Black | 2% | 3% | 7% |
| Mixed | 7% | 7% | 7% |
| Other | – | 1% | 3% |
| Not known | – | 2% | 2% |
English as an additional language
The percentage of pupils in Lakenheath with English as an additional language is 3%, compared with 12% in Suffolk, and 22% nationally.
Numbers may not sum to 100%, due to a small number of pupils with an unclassified language.
Contents
Percentage of pupils with English as an additional language
Table
| % in Lakenheath | % in Suffolk | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Known or believed to be other than English | 3% | 12% | 22% |
| Known or believed to be English | 96% | 88% | 78% |
Provider information
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Registered childcare providers
Lakenheath has 7 registered childcare providers.
| Type | Number in Lakenheath |
|---|---|
| All childcare providers | 7 |
| Childminders | 4 |
| Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care | 3 |
There have been no inspections of childcare providers in Lakenheath since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.
State-funded schools
Lakenheath has 1 state-funded school.
| Type | Number in Lakenheath |
|---|---|
| All state-funded schools | 1 |
| Nursery schools | 0 |
| Primary and all-through schools | 1 |
| Secondary and all-through schools | 0 |
| Special schools | 0 |
| Registered alternative provision | 0 |
There have been no inspections of schools in Lakenheath since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.
Data sources: