Herne Junior School

About Herne Junior School

Herne Junior School sits within Hampshire local authority, a large county with 425 primary schools, and ranks 30th among them. In the East Hampshire district specifically, it places 9th out of 31 schools, putting it in the top 25% of primaries locally. The top-performing peers in the same area include Preston Candover Church of England Primary School, Our Lady and St Joseph Catholic Primary School, and St Faith's Church of England Primary School. Herne is a state-funded, mixed junior school for pupils aged 7 to 11, with no religious character. It is led by headteacher Susan Sayers and currently has 462 pupils on roll, just shy of its 480 capacity. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, a graded visit in 2013, rated it Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. An ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed the school remains Good. This marks a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2011, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

In the 2023/24 academic year, Herne's Key Stage 2 results were strong. 79% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the Hampshire local authority average of 61%. The school's ranking score of 79 on this metric places it in the top 25% nationally. Looking at individual subjects, 86% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, 86% in maths, and 87% in writing. At the higher standard, 22% of pupils achieved the higher benchmark across all three subjects, with 46% reaching that level in reading, 40% in maths, and 37% in writing. Average scaled scores were 108 in both reading and maths. Progress scores are not available in the data, but the attainment figures alone show the school comfortably outperforms the local average. Ofsted's breakdown does not provide separate grades for behaviour, personal development or early years, as the school is a junior setting, but the overall Good rating reflects solid quality across the board.

Herne Junior School offers a practical range of facilities including a sports hall, outdoor playground, playing fields, ICT suite, music rooms, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports provision covers netball, athletics, swimming, cricket and tennis, while clubs include coding, chess and book club. The school has a significant SEND offer, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate and severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, visual impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. With 18.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a mixed catchment. It is oversubscribed at 462 pupils against a 480 capacity, suggesting steady local demand. This is a school that suits families looking for a junior-only setting with strong academic outcomes, a broad range of sports and clubs, and a well-documented SEND support system, all within a Good-rated Hampshire primary.

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