Orchard Junior School, Southampton

Good
Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 711

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~343m)Possible (~490m)Unlikely (~637m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Carol Taylor
Pupils:355 / 360 capacity
LA:Hampshire
Phone:02380843162
Address:Water Lane, Dibden Purlieu, Southampton, SO45 4SB
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:115988
UKPRN:10079105
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:New Forest East
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Orchard Junior School creates a warm, inclusive community where every child feels valued and supported. Teachers use clear teaching methods and adapt lessons so all pupils, including those with additional needs, can access learning and succeed. Pupils leave the school confident, happy and ready for their next stage of education.

Key Strengths

  • Strong attendance rates well above national averages, with leaders working closely with families to support regular attendance
  • Positive behaviour and respectful relationships throughout the school, with pupils feeling safe and trusted to report concerns
  • Effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs, helping them make good progress
  • Broad and balanced curriculum with strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics
  • Inclusive culture where pupils feel welcomed, supported and confident to be themselves

Areas for Improvement

  • Pupils do not always secure arithmetic skills quickly enough to meet national averages in the Year 4 multiplication check, though leaders are making changes to address this
  • Some newer content from the wider curriculum is less secure and requires further consistency in teaching
  • Pupils have broad understanding of protected characteristics but do not always have secure and detailed knowledge in this area

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Residential trip to Derbyshire, music clubs, sport clubs, creative clubs, school council projects, library access, outdoor space projects

Orchard Junior School is a caring community where pupils thrive academically and personally. The school places inclusion at the centre of its work and maintains well above average attendance rates.

At a Glance

17.2%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+6ppMaths+15ppWriting+9pp

Reading has improved from 64% to 70%. Maths has improved from 65% to 80%. Writing has improved from 64% to 73%.

Class Sizes

29.5

Avg class size

29.5

KS2

12

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

The Mead (NW-bound)
78m · 1 min walk
Mullins Lane (NE-bound)
224m · 4 min walk
Golden Hind Park (S-bound)
265m · 4 min walk
Malvern Drive (NE-bound)
314m · 5 min walk
Fern Road (adj)
331m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

99%

Near capacity

355 pupils

360 capacity

5 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Southampton

Low pressure
New homes approved:4,228
Projected new pupils:1,057

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Southampton

Admissions Demand - Hampshire

Low demand0.86x oversubscription

Places available

15,583

Applications

13,385

Got 1st preference

92.3%

Got preferred school

98.7%

Primary admissions across Hampshire (2025/26)

Inspection History(108)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.07439%

Overall absence

5.60224%

Persistent absence

357

Enrolments

Authorised3.29925%
Unauthorised0.77514%
Persistent (10%+)5.60224%
Severe (50%+)0.56022%

Absence trend

3.87604%
18/19
2.62363%
20/21
6.49828%
21/22
4.25349%
22/23
4.61025%
23/24
4.07439%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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