Highfield South Farnham School

About Highfield South Farnham School

Highfield South Farnham School was judged Outstanding in its most recent Ofsted inspection, a rating it has held since at least 2018. The school’s most informative exam metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2, which stands at 82%. That figure is well above the Surrey local authority average of 66% and places the school fourth out of 22 primary schools in Waverley, putting it in the top 10% of primaries nationally. In the 2023/24 academic year, the school also saw strong performance in individual subjects: 92% of pupils met the expected standard in maths, with an average maths score of 108, while 82% did so in reading and 88% in writing. The school’s ranking score of 82 reflects consistent academic strength across the board.

The school’s Ofsted history shows it has improved since its previous graded inspection in 2015, when it was rated Good overall. In the 2024 ungraded inspection, inspectors confirmed the school remains Outstanding, with leadership and management, early years provision and overall effectiveness all rated Outstanding. The early years provision, previously graded as Requires Improvement in 2015, has been transformed and is now Outstanding. Behaviour and attitudes, personal development and the quality of education were not separately graded in the most recent inspection, but the school’s strong exam results and high expectations suggest a focused academic environment. With 487 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, the school is significantly oversubscribed, and 15.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is close to the national average.

Highfield South Farnham School offers a broad range of facilities including an ICT suite, library, playing fields, dining hall and chapel. Sports on offer include athletics, football, cricket, rounders and swimming, while clubs such as chess, drama, eco club, coding and gardening provide enrichment beyond the classroom. The school has a nursery provision and supports pupils with a range of SEND needs, including specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 195 applications for 60 places, with 49 first-preference offers made from 60 first-preference applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.25. This is a school that suits families who value strong academic outcomes and a well-structured environment, but securing a place requires careful planning given the high demand.

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