Freemantle Church of England Community Academy

About Freemantle Church of England Community Academy

Freemantle Church of England Community Academy sits comfortably above the Southampton local authority average for primary schools when it comes to Key Stage 2 outcomes. The LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined sits at 55%, while Freemantle posts a noticeably stronger 67%. That puts the school 10th out of 42 primaries in the city, placing it in the top quarter locally. Its ranking score of 67 also lands it in the top 50 nationally by this measure, which is a solid result for a state primary. The school is oversubscribed — 86 families applied for 49 places in the 2025/26 intake, with all 42 first-preference applicants offered a spot — suggesting it holds a strong reputation among local parents. That said, it's worth noting that the nearest Outstanding-rated primary, Springhill Catholic Primary School, is less than a kilometre away, so Freemantle faces some stiff competition on its doorstep.

Digging into the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, the picture is one of consistent, if not spectacular, performance. In reading, 78% of pupils hit the expected standard and 35% reached the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 105. Maths saw 71% at the expected level and 24% at the higher level, with an average score of 103. Writing was the weakest area: 71% met the expected standard but only 2% achieved greater depth. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, a graded visit in 2018, rated it Good overall, with Good marks for leadership and management and early years provision. An ungraded inspection in March 2024 confirmed the school remains Good. That's a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2016, which had rated it Requires Improvement across the board. So the trajectory is positive, even if the current data doesn't include progress scores to show how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points.

Freemantle is a Church of England primary with nursery provision for children from age three, and it serves a fairly diverse intake — 34.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average and suggests the school supports a significant proportion of disadvantaged families. Facilities are decent for a state primary: there's a library, playing fields, a sports hall, an ICT suite, a chapel, and a Forest School area. Sports on offer include athletics, netball, tennis and swimming, while clubs cover chess, choir and gardening. The school's SEND provisions are broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With 449 pupils against a capacity of 465, it's nearly full but not bursting. This is a school that suits families looking for a solid, improving primary with a Christian character, good core results, and strong support for children with additional needs — especially those who value outdoor learning and a broad club offer.

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