St Jude's Church of England Junior School

About St Jude's Church of England Junior School

St Jude's Church of England Junior School in Runnymede is a state primary for children aged 7 to 11, and it's currently operating well below its capacity. With 179 pupils against a school capacity of 240, there is significant room for growth. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 26.8%, which is notably higher than the national average and suggests the school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage. Despite this, the school appears to be in demand: its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 rated it Good overall, a grade it has held consistently across its previous inspection as well. The school's Church of England character is reflected in its facilities, which include a chapel, and it offers a forest school programme alongside standard classrooms. Parents seem broadly satisfied, with 82% of respondents in the most recent Parent View survey saying they would recommend the school to other parents.

Academically, St Jude's produces mixed results at Key Stage 2. In the 2023/24 assessments, 50% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Surrey local authority average of 66%. The school ranks 13th out of 17 primary schools in Runnymede on this measure, placing it in the bottom half locally. Looking at individual subjects, reading and writing are relative strengths: 68% of pupils met the expected standard in reading and 76% in writing, while maths lagged behind at 58%. At the higher standard, only 8% of pupils achieved the top marks across all three subjects, though 29% did so in maths and reading individually. The school's average scaled scores were 104 in reading and 103 in maths, both slightly above the national benchmark of 100, suggesting that while most children are making adequate progress, fewer are exceeding expectations compared with peers in the county.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including an ICT suite, library, gymnasium, music rooms and playing fields, plus a forest school area for outdoor learning. Sports provision covers football, netball, cross country, swimming and dance, while clubs include science club, choir and drama. For families with children who have additional needs, St Jude's lists support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health challenges, physical disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. However, the Parent View data shows that no parents responded to the question about SEND support, so it is difficult to gauge how well this provision works in practice. The school is not oversubscribed based on its current pupil numbers, which may appeal to families looking for a smaller, less pressured environment. It is best suited to those who value a Church of England ethos and a school that is actively working to raise attainment from a lower-than-average baseline.

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