Calmore Junior School, Southampton

Ofsted's report card from its 28 April 2026 inspection grades Calmore Junior School on 6 areas: 1 strong standard, 4 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders place pupils' personal development and wellbeing at the centre of the school's work."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils enjoy attending school and show positive attitudes to learning."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a suitably broad and ambitious curriculum that reflects pupils' needs."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders place inclusion at the heart of their work."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for the school."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Although most pupils achieve broadly in line with national outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2, some pupils do not secure essential basic skills that they need."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders and governors should continue to refine and embed their improvement priorities so that actions are sharply focused on those areas which will have the greatest positive impact on pupils' achievement"; "Leaders should ensure that all staff routinely identify and address any weaknesses in pupils' transcription skills across the curriculum, so that pupils consistently produce high-quality work in preparation for the next stage of their education"; "Leaders should ensure that the delivery of the phonics programme is further embedded so that pupils at the early stage of reading receive support that is consistently effective and which helps them to close gaps in their knowledge quickly and successfully".

In its own words: "At Calmore Junior School, we are proud to provide a nurturing and inspiring environment where every child can thrive. Our school is a vibrant community dedicated to fostering curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning. We believe in educating the whole child, encouraging academic achievement alongside personal growth, resilience, and confidence."

From the headteacher's welcome: "A very warm welcome to Calmore Junior School! We are a vibrant and inclusive school community, where every child is valued, supported, and encouraged to reach their full potential. At Calmore, we fully believe in our motto: Every child, Every chance, Every day ."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, cricket, tennis, athletics, basketball, multi-sports, cross-country, karate, dance and coding.

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am, from £5.50 per session.

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Calmore Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 67% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in Hampshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (69% in reading, 61% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

Across Hampshire, 93% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.

In 2026, families in Hampshire lodged 254 appeals against primary school offers; 146 reached a hearing and 8 succeeded (5.5% of those heard).

The nearest other state primary schools to Calmore Junior School are Calmore Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Oakfield Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 89% reading, 86% maths); Hazel Wood Infant School (0.8 miles, Outstanding); and Abbotswood Junior School (0.9 miles, Good, 71% reading, 74% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Calmore Junior School.

37 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Calmore Junior School (as of September 2026): 78% would recommend the school, 70% say their child is happy there and 57% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (84%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (57%).

39.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 3.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 38 pupils (19.5%) received SEN support and 12 (6.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.

Calmore Junior School had 14 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Totton Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Friars Croft (n-bound), 230 metres away.

Calmore Junior School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.