Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School

Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School is a small village primary that is performing to the expected standard overall. Inspectors found that pupils achieve well, especially in reading and mathematics, with published outcomes at the end of key stage 2 typically close to or above national averages. Pupils attend regularly, behave well and feel safe, and they benefit from positive relationships with staff. The early years provision gives children a positive start, inclusion is a strength, and the broad personal development programme helps pupils build confidence and responsibility. Safeguarding standards are met. The school has experienced significant leadership changes, with a new headteacher appointed in January 2026. Leaders have a clear understanding of the school's context and have taken appropriate action to address key priorities, and staff and families speak positively about their work. However, curriculum and teaching require attention: teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding to identify misconceptions, so some lessons do not build securely on prior learning, and errors in transcription are not always addressed quickly enough. Handwriting and transcription also limit some pupils' achievement in writing. Other areas for development include the early years outdoor environment, which is not always used as effectively as the indoor provision, and governors' monitoring, which is not yet consistently rigorous across all areas. The school is well placed to improve further given its strong foundations, collaborative relationships with parents, the local authority and the diocese, and leaders' evidence-informed approach to professional development.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well overall, especially in reading and mathematics, with outcomes often above national averages.
• Early reading is strong, with most pupils meeting the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check.
• Attendance is consistently above national figures for all groups, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Pupils behave well, demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, and are polite and respectful.
• Pupils feel safe and trust adults, and bullying is very rare.
• The early years provision gives children a positive start, with a clear focus on communication, language, early reading and mathematics.
• Inclusion is a strength: leaders identify needs quickly and adapt teaching so pupils with SEND access the same curriculum.
• Personal development is broad, with opportunities for leadership, community involvement, trips, clubs and competitive sports.
• Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the school's context and have addressed key priorities since the new headteacher's appointment.
• Staff and families speak positively about leaders' integrity and the impact of their work.
• Safeguarding standards are met.

Areas for Improvement

• Teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding to identify misconceptions and errors.
• Lesson activities do not always build securely on pupils' prior learning.
• Errors in pupils' transcription skills are not always addressed quickly enough across the curriculum.
• Handwriting and transcription limit some pupils' achievement in writing.
• The early years outdoor environment is not always used effectively to support learning.
• Governors' monitoring is not consistently rigorous because not all have the depth of knowledge and expertise needed.
• Checks on understanding in personal development are not used consistently to secure pupils' understanding of key concepts.
• Curriculum and teaching are graded as needing attention.

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 Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School attended 96.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.0% 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, 1.7% of pupils at Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School had 22.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.6% 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, 11.5% of pupils at Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.2% 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 Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School received £7,119 and spent £7,585 for each of its 113 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £60,000 (-£530 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 Basingstoke · Hampshire local authority: places and applications

What is Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School have?

Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School has 113 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School cover?

Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School?

Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School is at Church Lane, Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG24 9HT.