Highfield Church of England Primary School

Highfield Church of England Primary School is performing very strongly. Inspectors found achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development all at a strong standard, with safeguarding standards met. Pupils achieve very well across subjects, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils, and produce high-quality work. Attendance is high and persistent absence is well below national figures; behaviour is excellent and pupils feel safe. The curriculum is well sequenced, teaching is expert, and early years gets children off to a great start. Inclusion is a clear priority, with bespoke support and strong external specialist work enabling vulnerable pupils to thrive. Leaders and governors are effective, staff are well supported, and parents are highly positive. This was a full section 5 inspection in September 2026 at a Christian school in the Diocese of Winchester with 315 pupils; free school meal eligibility and location deprivation are below average. Inspectors identified no areas of concern and said leaders should continue refining and enhancing the school's strong practice.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve very well across subjects, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils read fluently, write clearly and recall important mathematical knowledge confidently.
• Disadvantaged pupils routinely achieve above national averages.
• Attendance is high and persistent absence is well below national figures.
• Pupils behave excellently and show high levels of respect.
• The curriculum is well sequenced in all subjects, supported by expert teaching and strong subject knowledge.
• Early years children settle quickly and achieve very well through purposeful play.
• Inclusion is an absolute priority, with tailored support and strong external specialist work.
• Leaders identify the right priorities and staff work together as a cohesive team.
• Governors fulfil their statutory duties effectively and provide strong oversight.
• Personal development is comprehensive and promotes the school's values of peace, respect and courage.
• Pupils benefit from a truly inclusive culture and a rich range of wider opportunities.
• Safeguarding standards are met and pupils feel very safe.

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 Highfield Church of England Primary School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.0% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Highfield Church of England 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 Highfield Church of England Primary School had 22.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.0% 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, 13.7% of pupils at Highfield Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.5% 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 Highfield Church of England Primary School received £6,310 and spent £6,390 for each of its 315 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £69,000 (-£218 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).

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What is Highfield Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Highfield Church of England Primary School is Strong standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Highfield Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Highfield Church of England Primary School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Highfield Church of England Primary School have?

Highfield Church of England Primary School has 315 pupils on roll.

What age range does Highfield Church of England Primary School cover?

Highfield Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Highfield Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Highfield Church of England Primary School?

Highfield Church of England Primary School is at Hawthorn Road, Highfield, Southampton, Hampshire, SO17 1PX.