Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School

About Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School

Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School is a small state primary in Hampshire, sitting within the Basingstoke and Deane local authority. Among the 425 primary schools in the LA, it ranks 222nd, placing it in the bottom half of the county. 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, all of which score higher on the local ranking metric. The nearest school rated Outstanding by Ofsted is Marnel Community Infant School, 2.3 km away. Sherborne St John itself has held a Good rating since at least its 2012 graded inspection, and its most recent ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good. With just 115 pupils against a capacity of 119, it is a genuinely small village school, and its Church of England character is reflected in the on-site chapel.

Academically, the school's Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 53%, below the Hampshire LA average of 61%. Reading was a relative strength, with 94% of pupils reaching the expected standard and 47% achieving a higher score. Maths was weaker, with 65% at expected and 29% at the higher level. Writing saw 71% at expected and just 12% at the higher level. The average reading score was 108, and the average maths score was 105. In the Basingstoke and Deane LA ranking, the school sits 32nd out of 40 primaries, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally. There is no progress score data available for reading, writing or maths, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points.

The school offers a range of facilities including a library, ICT suite, art studios, an outdoor playground, a forest school area and a chapel. Sports provision covers cricket, athletics, tennis and gymnastics, and clubs include gardening, coding, choir and science club. SEND support is available for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as 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 was oversubscribed: 55 applications were received for 13 places, with 11 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 4.23. This suggests strong local demand despite the middling academic outcomes, likely driven by the school's small size, village setting and Church of England ethos. It will suit families who prioritise a close-knit community and outdoor learning over top-tier exam results.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents