St Denys Primary School

St Denys Primary School is performing well, maintaining the standards identified in its previous inspection. The school fosters an inclusive environment and is proud of its high expectations for both academic performance and behavior. Pupils exhibit enthusiasm for learning, and there is a strong sense of community among staff, students, and families. The school effectively supports pupils with special educational needs, ensuring they access the full curriculum. Reading, in particular, is emphasized throughout the school, leading to confident and skilled readers who appreciate the library and reading activities offered. Despite its strengths, there are areas for improvement, particularly regarding the design of certain learning tasks that do not always meet their intended goals. Some pupils may not achieve their full potential due to these shortcomings. Overall, the school shows promise for continued success, as it focuses on enhancing teaching methods and maintaining its commitment to pupil development.

Strengths

• Inclusive environment welcoming all pupils and families
• High expectations for behavior and academic performance
• Effective support for special educational needs
• Strong emphasis on reading and literacy
• Pupils exhibit pride in their school and its achievements
• Positive relationships established between staff, pupils, and parents
• Opportunities for pupil leadership and involvement in school decisions

Areas for Improvement

• Some learning tasks are not well designed, hindering pupil achievement

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 St Denys Primary School attended 93.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 15.9% 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, 1.4% of pupils at St Denys Primary 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 St Denys Primary School had 19.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 2.7% 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, 27.1% of pupils at St Denys Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.8% 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 St Denys Primary School received £7,874 and spent £8,033 for each of its 207 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £55,000 (£264 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 Southampton · Southampton local authority: places and applications

St Denys Primary School is part of Reach Cooperative Trust, which runs 7 schools. The nearest others:

• Bitterne Manor Primary and Nursery School Southampton
• Bitterne Park School Southampton
• Townhill Junior School Southampton
• Moorlands Primary School Southampton
• Woodlands Community College Southampton
• Redbridge Community School Southampton

What is St Denys Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Denys Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was St Denys Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Denys Primary School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does St Denys Primary School have?

St Denys Primary School has 207 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Denys Primary School cover?

St Denys Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Denys Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 41% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Denys Primary School?

St Denys Primary School is at Dundee Road, St Denys, Southampton, Hampshire, SO17 2ND.