Southbourne Junior School

Southbourne Junior School is performing well, maintaining its status as a good school since its last inspection in 2018. The school fosters a positive environment where pupils feel happy and supported, with a strong emphasis on respect and inclusion among students. Leaders set high expectations for behaviour and learning, which contributes to a calm and focused classroom atmosphere. Notably, the school excels in its reading program, which is designed to engage students and assist those who face challenges in literacy, leading to rapid progress for pupils. However, there are areas that require attention, particularly in ensuring that the curriculum is uniformly strong across all subjects. While the school has a well-organized curriculum, some foundation subjects lack specified skills and knowledge, which may lead to gaps in pupils' understanding. Leaders are aware of this and are committed to addressing these weaknesses to enhance educational delivery across all subjects. The school's dedication to personal development and emotional well-being is also a notable strength, with a curriculum that instils lifelong skills and values in pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils feel happy and supported in school.
• Teachers are kind and caring, which enhances pupil trust.
• High expectations for pupil behaviour and learning.
• Strong focus on reading, leading to rapid progress.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs.
• Engaging personal development program that values pupils' voices.

Areas for Improvement

• Some foundation subjects lack precise identification of skills and knowledge.
• Gaps in pupil knowledge and understanding due to inconsistent teaching across subjects.

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 Southbourne Junior School attended 94.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 15.5% 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, 0.9% of pupils at Southbourne 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 Southbourne Junior School had 22.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.2% 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, 21.1% of pupils at Southbourne Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 Southbourne Junior School received £6,225 and spent £6,383 for each of its 228 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £66,000 (£290 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 Emsworth · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Southbourne Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Southbourne Junior School is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Southbourne Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Southbourne Junior School was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Southbourne Junior School have?

Southbourne Junior School has 228 pupils on roll.

What age range does Southbourne Junior School cover?

Southbourne Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

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

In 2025, 56% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Southbourne Junior School?

Southbourne Junior School is at New Road, Southbourne, Emsworth, Hampshire, PO10 8JX.