Orchard Junior School
Southampton, SO45 4SB · Hampshire · primary school
Check the area around this school
215th of 300 primary schools in Hampshire we can score, 420 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 4.8/10 against 3,905 of them, against 5.0/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 64.0 · 49 | 40% | 1.97 |
| Ofsted | 12 | 35% | 0.43 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 7.0 · 51 | 25% | 1.27 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Orchard Junior School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 64.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, matching the national median of 64%. The higher standard was reached by 7.0% of pupils, also equal to the national median of 7%. Its position is much the same whether compared with all schools or only those whose pupils have similar backgrounds (4.8 out of 10 against similar schools, 5.0 out of 10 against all schools). The May 2026 inspection used the new report-card framework, which grades areas separately without an overall grade.
Getting in
The published school roll is 355 pupils against a stated capacity of 360. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the new report-card framework affect day-to-day teaching priorities? What specific support is available for pupils who do not reach the expected standard?
What Ofsted said about Orchard Junior School
Overview
Orchard Junior School is described as a place where “pupils thrive in this close and caring community.” The report highlights that leaders have established an “open culture” for safeguarding and that attendance is “well above national averages.” While most aspects of the school meet the expected standard, attendance and behaviour are rated at a strong standard.
Strengths
- Attendance is “well above national averages” due to leaders treating it as a “key priority” and working collaboratively with families.
- Pupils “behave well and treat each other with respect,” with bullying “not tolerated” and concerns reported with confidence.
- The curriculum is “ambitious and inclusive,” with reading, writing, and mathematics prioritised to secure “firm foundations.”
- Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective, helping them “access the whole curriculum.”
- Staff promote “kindness, joy and pride,” creating a calm environment where pupils feel “safe and understood.”
Areas to improve
- Leaders should ensure pupils develop “mathematical accuracy and fluency, particularly in multiplication.”
- Leaders should continue to develop curriculum implementation, ensuring teaching is “consistently of a high standard” across all subjects.
- Leaders should ensure pupils develop a “detailed and secure understanding” of the personal, social and health education curriculum.
Safeguarding
The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an “open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility” and concerns actively managed.
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 67% |
| 2023/24 | 51% |
| 2024/25 | 64% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
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