Churchfields Junior School

Churchfields Junior School is a highly effective maintained junior school in Redbridge for pupils aged 7 to 11. Inspectors found the school strong across all key areas: the curriculum is broad, ambitious and well sequenced, reading is central to learning, teaching is highly skilled, and pupils with SEND are well supported. Pupils produce high-quality work, achieve highly and are exceptionally well prepared for life beyond the classroom. Pupils are exceptionally well cared for and behave impeccably. They benefit from an exceptional music offer, a rich programme of trips and a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Personal development is a clear strength, with pupils taking part in leadership groups and learning about social responsibility, diverse backgrounds and different faiths. Attendance is high, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Leadership is very strong. Staff feel well supported with workload, well-being and professional development, and governors provide effective support and challenge. This was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it had not been inspected under section 5 since December 2014. Since September 2024, schools are no longer awarded an overall effectiveness grade. No areas for improvement were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Broad, ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum across all subjects
• Reading is at the heart of learning, with effective phonics and swift support for pupils who struggle
• Teaching is highly skilled and engages pupils well
• Pupils with SEND are effectively supported to learn alongside their peers
• Pupils produce high-quality work and achieve highly, including in published outcomes
• Pupils' behaviour is impeccable in classrooms, around the school and in the playground
• Personal development is strong, including social, moral and spiritual education
• Exceptional music offer with weekly instrumental tuition for every child
• Wide range of trips and extra-curricular opportunities
• Pupils participate in leadership groups and develop responsibility and social action
• Attendance is high, supported by effective systems
• Leadership and governance are very strong, with effective support and challenge
• Staff workload, well-being and professional development are well supported
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

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 Churchfields Junior School attended 96.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.9% 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 Churchfields 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 Churchfields Junior School had 20.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 3.4% 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, 6.7% of pupils at Churchfields Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.4% 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 Churchfields Junior School received £6,765 and spent £6,500 for each of its 477 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £547,000 (£1,147 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 Redbridge · Redbridge local authority: places and applications

What is Churchfields Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Churchfields Junior School is Outstanding, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Churchfields Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Churchfields Junior School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Churchfields Junior School have?

Churchfields Junior School has 477 pupils on roll.

What age range does Churchfields Junior School cover?

Churchfields Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

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

In 2025, 91% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Churchfields Junior School?

Churchfields Junior School is at Churchfields, South Woodford, Redbridge, London, E18 2RB.