Merrow Junior School

Merrow Junior School is a smaller-than-average junior school with 209 pupils and a below-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals; the proportions of pupils with SEND support and EHC plans are close to national averages. Inspectors found the school performing securely overall, with no area judged below the expected standard and safeguarding arrangements meeting requirements. Pupils achieve well across a broad, ambitious and logically sequenced curriculum, and reading, writing and mathematics outcomes are broadly in line with national averages. Most pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, make secure progress, and support is helping to close gaps over time. Behaviour and attendance are strengths: pupils are polite, respectful and keen to attend, relationships are positive, and bullying is rare. Leaders have a clear strategic direction, governors provide effective support and challenge, and staff are well trained and positive about workload and culture. Inclusion and pastoral support are well established, and pupils benefit from a wide range of enrichment, leadership roles and community links. Leaders' next steps focus on reducing persistent absence, particularly for disadvantaged pupils; making assessment more consistently sharp so gaps are identified and addressed quickly; and ensuring teachers adapt learning and resources precisely so all pupils can access the curriculum and recall key knowledge securely. Data also shows disadvantaged pupils' mathematics attainment remains below national averages, even though the school's overall picture is close to average.

Strengths

• Pupils behave well, are polite and respectful, and bullying is rare.
• Clear routines and high expectations create a calm, purposeful learning environment.
• The curriculum is broad, ambitious and logically sequenced.
• Most pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, make secure progress.
• Reading, writing and mathematics outcomes are broadly in line with national averages.
• Effective support is helping to close gaps for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Inclusion is strong, with early identification of needs and suitable progress for pupils with SEND.
• Pastoral support and relationships with families are well established.
• Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school and set appropriate improvement priorities.
• Governors are knowledgeable, provide effective support and challenge, and monitor funding well.
• Pupils benefit from a broad personal development programme, enrichment activities and leadership roles.
• Attendance is close to national figures and leaders use targeted support to address barriers.
• Safeguarding standards are met and pupils feel safe.
• Staff receive helpful training and speak positively about the school's culture and workload management.

Areas for Improvement

• Persistent absence remains a concern, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.
• Assessment is not used consistently well to identify and address gaps in knowledge at the earliest opportunity.
• Adaptations and supporting resources are not consistently precise or effective for pupils with SEND and other barriers.
• Disadvantaged pupils' mathematics attainment remains below national averages.
• Some pupils do not recall key learning in personal development as securely as they could.
• Opportunities to revisit prior learning and check understanding need strengthening.

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 Merrow Junior School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.6% 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, 0.4% of pupils at Merrow Junior 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 Merrow Junior School had 19.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.8% 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, 13.4% of pupils at Merrow Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.3% 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 Merrow Junior School received £7,768 and spent £7,573 for each of its 209 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £276,000 (£1,320 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 Guildford · Surrey local authority: places and applications

What is Merrow Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Merrow Junior School is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Merrow Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Merrow Junior School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Merrow Junior School have?

Merrow Junior School has 209 pupils on roll.

What age range does Merrow Junior School cover?

Merrow Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

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

In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Merrow Junior School?

Merrow Junior School is at Sheeplands Avenue, Merrow, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 2SG.