Long Buckby Junior School

About Long Buckby Junior School

Long Buckby Junior School is a state primary for children aged 7 to 11, and it currently operates well below its physical capacity. With 169 pupils on roll against a school capacity of 216, there is a notable amount of spare places, which suggests the school is not oversubscribed and may be an accessible option for local families. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 14.8%, which is slightly above the national average for primary schools, indicating a modestly higher-than-average level of disadvantage among the intake. The school is mixed, non-denominational, and sits within the West Northamptonshire local authority. Its headteacher is Tony Cox. The school has no nursery or sixth form provision, and it is not a boarding school. For parents looking at the demand signal, the gap between pupil numbers and capacity implies that securing a place here is unlikely to be a competitive process, which may be a practical advantage for families moving into the area or seeking a mid-phase transfer.

Academically, Long Buckby Junior School performs solidly within its local context. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 69% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is six percentage points above the West Northamptonshire local authority average of 63%. This places the school 47th out of 134 primary schools in the authority, comfortably in the top half. Nationally, it ranks 4,723rd out of 13,686 schools, putting it in the 35th percentile. Subject-level results show particular strength in maths, where 80% of pupils met the expected standard and the average scaled score was 107. Reading and writing were slightly lower, with 71% and 78% achieving the expected standard respectively. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in all three subjects was just 2%, which is low, but the school’s overall performance is respectable and above the local norm.

The school offers a decent range of facilities for a junior school of its size, including playing fields, a sports hall, a gymnasium, art studios, a dining hall and a forest school. Sports provision covers athletics, football, netball, cricket, rounders and swimming, while clubs include chess, eco club, art, gardening, film and science. For pupils with additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication difficulties, hearing and visual impairments, and other difficulties or disabilities. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 confirmed the school remains Good, a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2013. This school will suit families in the Long Buckby area who want a solid, above-average local primary with good facilities and a non-selective, inclusive intake, particularly those who value the forest school and a broad club offer.

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