Wherwell Primary School

About Wherwell Primary School

Wherwell Primary School sits within the Hampshire local authority, a large county with 425 primary schools, and holds a strong position in the Test Valley area. Among the 40 primary schools in Test Valley, it ranks 4th, placing it in the top 10% locally. Its closest performing peers in the area are 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 same ranking metric. The school is a state-funded, mixed-gender primary for children aged 4 to 11, with no religious character and no nursery or sixth form provision. Headteacher Mandy Ovenden leads a relatively small school of 129 pupils, operating just under its capacity of 146. In its most recent ungraded Ofsted inspection in May 2023, the school was confirmed to remain Good, a significant improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2010 when it was rated Requires Improvement.

Academically, Wherwell performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 77% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, compared to the Hampshire local authority average of 61%. Reading was a particular strength, with every pupil reaching the expected standard and 38% achieving the higher standard. Maths also performed strongly, with 92% at the expected level and an average score of 108. Writing saw 77% at the expected level and 31% at the higher standard. Nationally, the school ranks in the top 15% of all primary schools, and within the South East region it sits in the top 14%. The school's overall ranking score of 77 is based on the combined expected standard metric, and it is categorised as a top 25 school nationally. Progress scores for reading, writing, and maths are not available in the data.

The school offers a range of facilities including a library, sports hall, playing fields, sensory room, music rooms, and a chapel. Sports on offer include netball, dance, gymnastics, tennis, and cross country, while clubs extend to gardening, film club, book club, drama, eco club, and science club. Wherwell has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed: 51 applications were received for 21 places, with 19 first-preference applications resulting in 16 offers. The oversubscription ratio of 2.43 indicates strong local demand. This is a school that suits families who value strong academic outcomes in a small, community-focused setting, and who are prepared for a competitive admissions process.

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