Mudeford Junior School

Mudeford Junior School has shown commendable performance overall, achieving a 'Good' rating in the latest inspection after 14 years without a routine inspection, during which it was previously rated 'Outstanding'. The school maintains a strong focus on pupil welfare and educational achievement, supported by effective leadership. Pupils thrive in a nurturing environment where behaviour is exemplary and the curriculum is well-developed, particularly in reading, enabling pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to flourish academically and socially. However, while most subjects are well-taught, the school faces challenges with assessment practices in certain areas, which can lead to gaps in pupils' recall of prior learning. Leaders acknowledge the need to refine these assessments to bolster pupil performance across all subjects, ensuring that every child knows and remembers vital knowledge. Overall, the school has a positive reputation among parents, who appreciate the individual attention their children receive in a supportive community setting.

Strengths

• Pupils display exemplary behaviour and a strong sense of belonging.
• The quality of education is well-supported by passionate teachers with high subject expertise.
• Leaders ensure high expectations are set for all pupils' achievements.
• The school provides exceptional pastoral care and personal development opportunities.
• Parents express strong confidence in the school's ability to care for and educate their children.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment practices in some subjects are underdeveloped, leading to patchy recall of prior learning.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Mudeford Junior School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Mudeford Junior School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Mudeford Junior School had 20.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 11.8% of pupils at Mudeford Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Mudeford Junior School received £6,571 and spent £6,502 for each of its 255 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £109,000 (£426 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Christchurch · Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole local authority: places and applications

What is Mudeford Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Mudeford Junior School is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.

When was Mudeford Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Mudeford Junior School was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does Mudeford Junior School have?

Mudeford Junior School has 255 pupils on roll.

What age range does Mudeford Junior School cover?

Mudeford Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Mudeford Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 82% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Mudeford Junior School?

Mudeford Junior School is at Mudeford Lane, Mudeford, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 3HP.