Blackfield Primary and Nursery School

About Blackfield Primary and Nursery School

Blackfield Primary and Nursery School is a popular choice among local families, with 40 first-preference applications for its 40 Reception places in the 2025/26 admissions round, meaning every family who put it first got a spot. Overall, the school received 53 applications for those 40 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.33. This suggests a solid local reputation, though it is not among the most heavily oversubscribed primaries in the New Forest area. The school is a state-funded mixed primary for children aged 2 to 11, with a nursery on site, and it serves a community where 37 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals — well above the national average. Headteacher Tariq Sasso leads a school that Ofsted rated Good across the board in its most recent graded inspection in September 2022, with all five categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — each judged Good.

Academically, Blackfield’s Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 academic year show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 58 per cent, just below the Hampshire local authority average of 61 per cent. Reading was a relative strength, with 76 per cent reaching the expected standard and 38 per cent achieving a higher score, while maths saw 65 per cent at the expected level and 11 per cent at the higher level. Writing was more challenging, with 73 per cent at the expected standard and only 7 per cent at the higher level. The school’s average reading score was 107 and maths score was 102. Nationally, Blackfield ranks in the bottom half of primary schools on the combined expected standard metric, sitting at the 63rd percentile. In the New Forest local authority, it ranks 20th out of 35 primaries.

The school offers a strong range of facilities, including a gymnasium, library, ICT suite, art studios, forest school and a sensory room, alongside sports such as football, netball, swimming and athletics. Clubs include chess, choir and science club. For children with additional needs, the school provides support for a wide range of SEND categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. With a capacity of 540 and 435 pupils on roll, there is some physical space available, though the school is oversubscribed at Reception. Blackfield is best suited to families in the New Forest area who value a Good-rated primary with nursery provision, a broad set of facilities and a supportive SEND offer, and who are comfortable with a school where academic outcomes are solid but not among the highest in the local authority.

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