Hempstead Junior School

Hempstead Junior School continues to demonstrate a good overall performance, with enthusiastic pupils who embody the school's high expectations. The school has made notable adjustments to its curriculum to better engage students following the COVID-19 pandemic, tailoring approaches to support all pupils, particularly those who struggled with re-engagement. Additionally, the school facilitates a range of enriching activities that further enhance the learning experience, fostering a strong community spirit among students. While the school excels in many areas, including personal development and teaching quality, some weaknesses remain in specific subject areas where the curriculum could be further refined for better clarity and progression. Teachers effectively identify learning needs for the majority of pupils; however, some readers, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have not received the precise support they need to fully advance their reading skills, which indicates room for improvement in this regard.

Strengths

• Pupils are enthusiastic and proud of their school.
• The school has a clear vision for education and a well-structured curriculum.
• Teachers are well-supported in developing their teaching expertise.
• Pupils showcase their artwork in local exhibitions.
• Strong personal development program with opportunities for public speaking.
• High standards of behavior and politeness among pupils.
• Effective engagement with the local community.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment information is not always used effectively to support lower-attaining readers.
• Curriculum lacks clarity in a small number of subjects, affecting knowledge depth.

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 Hempstead Junior School attended 94.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.9% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Hempstead 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 Hempstead Junior School had 22.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.9% 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, 13.5% of pupils at Hempstead Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% 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 Hempstead Junior School received £5,962 and spent £5,983 for each of its 622 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £267,000 (£430 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). This school files a single return with the other schools in its federation, so the figures are for the whole federation.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Gillingham · Medway local authority: places and applications

What is Hempstead Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Hempstead Junior School is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Hempstead Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Hempstead Junior School was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Hempstead Junior School have?

Hempstead Junior School has 371 pupils on roll.

What age range does Hempstead Junior School cover?

Hempstead Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

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

In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Hempstead Junior School?

Hempstead Junior School is at Birch Grove, Hempstead, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 3HJ.