St John's Primary School

St John's Primary School is an improving institution that offers a good quality of education to its pupils. This is the first inspection since the school's previous grade of 'Requires Improvement', and the progress made is evident through enhanced curriculum delivery and a nurturing environment where all pupils feel happy and safe. The school has established effective teaching practices, particularly in early reading and phonics, which have been supported by staff training. Extra opportunities for pupils, such as clubs and workshops, enrich their educational experience, fostering a sense of community and belonging.

Strengths

• Pupils experience a good quality of education at all stages.
• The curriculum builds pupils' knowledge and skills effectively.
• Strong emphasis on early reading and phonics instruction.
• Pupils show good manners and calm behavior.
• Strong personal development among pupils preparing them for secondary school.
• Effective governance and supportive community involvement.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils' needs are not consistently met due to the new curriculum still embedding.
• Not all pupils are challenged enough in their learning.
• Additional support for pupils needing help in early reading is not always 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 St John's Primary School attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 17.2% 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, 5.1% of pupils at St John's Primary 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 St John's Primary School had 27.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 41.4% 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, 19.8% of pupils at St John's Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.4% 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 2024–25 St John's Primary School received £7,806 and spent £8,558 for each of its 235 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £207,000 (£883 per pupil).

Across all 10 schools of The Swan Trust, income was £7,049 and spending £7,479 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.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Woking · Surrey local authority: places and applications

St John's Primary School is part of The Swan Trust, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• The Hermitage Infant School Woking
• The Hermitage Junior School Woking
• Beaufort Primary School Woking
• Knaphill Junior School Woking
• Knaphill Infant School and Nursery Woking
• Goldsworth Primary School Woking
• The Horsell Village School Woking
• Barnsbury Primary School and Nursery Woking
• Kingfield Primary School Woking

What is St John's Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St John's Primary School is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was St John's Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St John's Primary School was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does St John's Primary School have?

St John's Primary School has 248 pupils on roll.

What age range does St John's Primary School cover?

St John's Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are St John's Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 46% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St John's Primary School?

St John's Primary School is at Victoria Road, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey, GU21 2AS.