Abbotswood Junior School

About Abbotswood Junior School

Abbotswood Junior School in the New Forest was rated Good by Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection in 2017, and an ungraded visit in 2023 confirmed the school remains Good and is improving. This marks a significant turnaround from its previous graded inspection in 2015, when the school was rated Requires Improvement. The most telling exam metric for this junior school is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which stands at 61%. That figure is exactly in line with the Hampshire local authority average for primary schools, placing Abbotswood in the middle of the pack. In the New Forest local authority ranking, the school sits 14th out of 35 primary schools, putting it in the 40th percentile. Nationally, it ranks 7,548th out of 13,686 schools, which places it in the bottom half of all primary schools in England.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, Abbotswood's strongest subject is writing, where 77% of pupils met the expected standard and 28% achieved the higher standard. Reading follows closely with 75% at expected and 19% at higher, while maths sees 71% at expected and 26% at higher. Average scaled scores are 104 in reading and 105 in maths, both slightly above the national average of 100. However, the combined expected standard of 61% means that over a third of pupils are not reaching the expected level across all three core subjects simultaneously. The school's ranking score of 61 places it in the bottom 50 tier nationally. For context, the top-performing primary in the New Forest, Preston Candover Church of England Primary School, scores 100 on the same metric, so there is a clear gap between Abbotswood and the very best in the area.

Abbotswood is a larger-than-average junior school, with 639 pupils on roll against a capacity of 600, meaning it is oversubscribed. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 30%, well above the national average, reflecting a relatively disadvantaged intake. The school offers a broad range of facilities including art studios, a library, sports hall, ICT suite, music rooms and playing fields, with sports such as swimming, netball and rounders on offer. Clubs include book club, coding, chess and choir. The school's SEND provision is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. For families seeking an outstanding alternative, Hazel Wood Infant School is just 0.9 km away, though it is an infant rather than junior school. Abbotswood will suit families who value a large, inclusive community school with strong SEND support and a Good Ofsted rating, but who are realistic about its mid-table academic performance.

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