Sarisbury Church of England Junior School

About Sarisbury Church of England Junior School

Sarisbury Church of England Junior School is a state primary for ages 7 to 11 in Fareham, and it is significantly oversubscribed. The school currently has 389 pupils against a capacity of 360, meaning it is running well above its official number. This demand is understandable given its Church of England character and its recent Ofsted rating. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 14.7%, which is higher than the national average for primary schools, indicating a genuinely mixed intake. The school is led by headteacher Catherine Nice and sits within the Hampshire local authority. Its popularity is reflected in the parent view data, where 94% of the 140 respondents would recommend the school to other parents. The school also has a chapel on site, which aligns with its religious foundation.

Academically, the school holds an Outstanding rating from Ofsted, a grade it achieved in its most recent graded inspection in 2019, and an ungraded inspection in December 2024 confirmed that standards have been maintained. Leadership and management were also judged Outstanding. At Key Stage 2, 55% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the local authority average of 61%. However, the school performs better on individual subjects: 72% reached the expected standard in reading, 79% in writing, and 69% in maths. The average scores in reading (104) and maths (102) are in line with national expectations. At the higher standard, 11% achieved the combined measure, with 24% reaching that level in reading. The school ranks 18th out of 22 primary schools in Fareham on the combined expected standard metric, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally.

The school offers a range of facilities including an ICT suite, playing fields, a sensory room, an outdoor playground, and a chapel. Sports provision covers cross country, dance, swimming, athletics, rounders, and cricket, while clubs include coding, choir, and gardening. For children with additional needs, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent views on SEND support are more mixed: 68% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, but 32% disagreed or strongly disagreed. This is a school that will suit families who value a Church of England ethos, a strong sense of community, and a wide range of extracurricular activities, but who are comfortable with the school being significantly over its capacity and with academic results that are solid but not the highest in the area.

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