Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School

Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School is a caring and nurturing school where pupils feel happy, safe and respected. The school is highly ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and pupils respond well to the high expectations and values of courage, aspire, respect and explore. This was its first routine inspection under section 5, although the school had previously been judged outstanding before becoming a standalone academy. Under the current framework, no overall effectiveness grade is awarded. The curriculum is broad, relevant, exciting and well sequenced from the early years upwards. Teaching is generally strong, with effective questioning, vocabulary development and recall strategies helping pupils remember what they learn. Reading is a clear priority: phonics teaching is rigorous, staff are well trained, pupils achieve very well in phonics, and those who struggle receive prompt support. Pupils attend regularly, are eager and enthusiastic in lessons, and personal development is a particular strength, supported by a well-designed PSHE curriculum, leadership roles, clubs, sports and creative activities. Safeguarding is effective. The main area for improvement is support for pupils with SEND. In a few curriculum areas, learning is not adapted effectively, so some pupils with SEND do not learn and remember the curriculum as well as they should. Leaders need to identify the component knowledge pupils need in all subjects and ensure teachers understand the small sequential steps required so that all pupils, including those with SEND, can achieve well. Governors provide effective challenge and support, and staff value the professional development available to them.

Strengths

• Caring and nurturing community where pupils feel happy, safe and respected.
• High ambitions and expectations for all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Broad, relevant and well-sequenced curriculum from early years upwards.
• Teachers use strong subject knowledge, effective questioning and vocabulary instruction.
• Reading is a priority, with rigorous phonics and expert staff training.
• Pupils achieve very well in phonics and struggling readers receive prompt support.
• Pupils are eager, enthusiastic and attend school regularly.
• Personal development is exceptionally strong through PSHE, citizenship and leadership roles.
• Wide range of clubs, sports and creative activities ensures broad participation.
• Effective governance and strong professional development support staff.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• In a few curriculum areas, learning is not adapted effectively for pupils with SEND.
• Some pupils with SEND do not learn and remember the curriculum well in those areas.
• Leaders need to identify component knowledge in all subjects and ensure teachers understand the small sequential steps pupils need.

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 Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.3% 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 Milford-on-Sea 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 Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School had 21.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.4% 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, 12.1% of pupils at Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.8% 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 2024–25 Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School received £5,984 and spent £5,851 for each of its 316 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £248,000 (£785 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

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What is Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School have?

Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School has 313 pupils on roll.

What age range does Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School cover?

Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School?

Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School is at Lymington Road, Milford-on-Sea, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 0RF.