St John the Baptist Church of England Primary School

About St John the Baptist Church of England Primary School

St John the Baptist Church of England Primary School in Winchester is clearly a popular choice among local families. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 62 applications for just 28 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.21. Of those 62 applicants, 23 put the school as their first preference, and all 23 were offered a place. That level of demand suggests a strong reputation among parents in the area, though no direct parent survey data is available to confirm satisfaction rates. The school is a state primary for mixed genders aged 4 to 11, with a Church of England character, and is led by headteacher Rebecca Livings. It currently has 213 pupils on roll, just slightly over its official capacity of 210, which reinforces the sense that this is a school in demand.

Academically, the school holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2023, with all inspected categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all graded Good. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 55% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is below the Hampshire local authority average of 61%. However, individual subject results tell a more nuanced story: 71% of pupils met the expected standard in both reading and writing, and 67% in maths. Average scaled scores were 103 in reading and 101 in maths. The school ranks 29th out of 35 primary schools in Winchester on the combined expected standard metric, placing it in the bottom half locally and nationally around the 69th percentile.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a sports hall, library, outdoor playground, forest school area, dining hall, playing fields and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, netball, dance, cricket, rounders, swimming and tennis, and there are clubs such as choir, book club, science club, film club and eco club. SEND support is available for pupils with specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families considering this school, the oversubscription figures suggest it is worth applying early, particularly as a first preference. The school’s Church of England character may appeal to those seeking a faith-based setting, and the forest school and outdoor facilities will suit families who value time spent learning outside the classroom.

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