Connaught Junior School

About Connaught Junior School

Connaught Junior School sits in an unusual position for a Surrey primary. Its headline KS2 metric — the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — stands at 57%, which is nine percentage points below the local authority average of 66%. That places the school 153rd out of 298 primary schools in Surrey, and in the bottom half nationally. Yet this is a school rated Outstanding by Ofsted in its most recent inspection in 2023, having improved from a Good rating in 2012. The disconnect between the inspection grade and the raw attainment figures is striking. The school serves a community where 14% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, slightly above the national average for primary schools, and its intake may partly explain why headline results lag the county norm. But Ofsted’s judgement suggests inspectors saw something the league tables don’t capture.

A closer look at the KS2 breakdown reveals a mixed picture. In reading, 77% of pupils met the expected standard and the average scaled score was 106, both respectable figures. Maths tells a similar story: 74% at expected with an average score of 104. The real drag comes from writing, where only 64% reached the expected standard and just 6% achieved the higher standard. Combined, that pulls the headline figure down. Only 3% of pupils hit the higher standard across all three subjects, compared with 21% in maths alone and 34% in reading. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it’s impossible to say whether pupils arrive below age-related expectations and catch up, or whether the school’s teaching is uneven. What is clear is that Connaught is not among Surrey’s academic elite — its ranking score of 57 puts it well behind top performers like South Farnham School (score 100) or The Raleigh School (94).

The school is well equipped for a junior setting, with facilities including a sensory room, forest school area, music rooms, a sports hall and a chapel. It offers a broad range of clubs — art, book club, gardening, coding, choir — and sports such as athletics, gymnastics, swimming and cricket. SEND provision is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder and visual impairment among others. With 470 pupils against a capacity of 480, the school is close to full but not oversubscribed to the point of being inaccessible. For families in Surrey Heath who value the pastoral and personal development focus that Ofsted rated Outstanding, and who are comfortable with results that sit below the county average, Connaught Junior School offers a well-resourced, inclusive environment. It may particularly suit parents whose children need additional support or a less pressured academic atmosphere.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Connaught Junior School

Helpful Guides for Parents