Picklenash Junior School, Newent
Picklenash Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Newent. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 203rd-highest of the 209 schools in Gloucestershire with published results, and 14,262nd of 14,452 across England. It was 65% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Capacity
- 65% full
- Attendance
- Below England average
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Picklenash Junior School in detail
Results
In 2025, 46% of Year 6 pupils at Picklenash Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 39% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 75% in Gloucestershire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 55% in reading and 43% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Picklenash Junior School
Across Gloucestershire, 92% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 98% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Gloucestershire lodged 173 appeals against primary school offers; 131 reached a hearing and 46 succeeded (35.1% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Picklenash Junior School are Glebe Infants' School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Pauntley Church of England Primary School (2 miles, Good, 86% reading, 71% maths); Gorsley Goffs Primary School (2.8 miles, Good, 82% reading, 53% maths); and Ann Cam Church of England Primary School (3.4 miles, Good, 67% reading, 80% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Picklenash Junior School.
Glebe Infants' SchoolPauntley Church of England Primary SchoolGorsley Goffs Primary SchoolAnn Cam Church of England Primary School
What parents say
29 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Picklenash Junior School (as of September 2025): 55% would recommend the school, 66% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (76%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (48%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 36 pupils (22.9%) received SEN support and 10 (6.4%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Staffing
Picklenash Junior School had 12 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Picklenash Junior School.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Picklenash School (outside), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Picklenash Junior School issued 3 suspensions, 1.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school has a well-designed curriculum that builds pupils' knowledge step by step, and provides excellent support for children with additional needs so they can learn alongside their peers. Teachers build warm relationships with pupils, and the school runs a range of exciting enrichment activities and educational visits that bring learning to life. New leadership is working hard to create a stable, positive environment where all pupils can succeed.
Key Strengths
- Well-designed curriculum with clear progression of key knowledge - for example, pupils building from ordering fractions to solving multi-step problems with fractions and multiplication
- Strong support for pupils with SEND, quickly identifying needs and adapting the curriculum so these pupils learn alongside their peers
- Warm, nurturing relationships between adults and children, with pupils understanding school values of respect, kindness and courage
- New leadership bringing additional capacity and renewed stability to the school
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching strategies not applied consistently across subjects, preventing pupils from deepening their learning effectively
- Too many older pupils lack secure phonics knowledge, affecting their reading fluency and enjoyment of reading
- Behaviour policy not applied consistently by all staff, leading to incidents of unkindness, disrespect and bullying that aren't fully prevented
- Weak oversight of curriculum implementation - school does not have a secure view of how effectively teaching is working in all subjects
- Poor communication with parents, leading to confusion about school changes and improvements
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with clear systems in place to protect pupils and put their interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Football, dance, gymnastics, Young Voices choral event in Birmingham, educational visits including Caerleon Roman site and Second World War railway station visits, sports coaches leading structured games like basketball and tag at lunchtimes
Picklenash Junior School requires improvement following staffing and leadership changes since its last inspection. Under new leadership, the school is working to improve outcomes, though pupils' academic achievement and behaviour consistency need significant development.
At a Glance
31.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
29 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 55% to 46% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 43% to 39% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 61% to 46% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
22.2
Avg class size
6
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Picklenash Junior School
Term dates
Picklenash Junior School is a foundation school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Gloucestershire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Picklenash Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Picklenash Junior School is in Gloucestershire; for families living there:
Apply to Gloucestershire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 9 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
65%
Available places
157 pupils
243 places
86 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Newent
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newent
Across Gloucestershire council
Places available
7,250
Applications
6,016
Got 1st preference
91.6%
Got preferred school
98.1%
All primary applications across Gloucestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(11)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
36
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
29.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
157
Total Pupils
82
Boys
75
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
13.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,227
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,781
Per pupil
£1092k
Total funding
£68k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.5%
Overall absence
23.3%
Persistent absence
176
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Picklenash Junior School
Questions parents ask about Picklenash Junior School
What are SATs results like at Picklenash Junior School?
Of the pupils at Picklenash Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 46% reached the expected standard in reading and 39% did so in maths.
What is Picklenash Junior School's Ofsted rating?
Picklenash Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Picklenash Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When Picklenash Junior School is oversubscribed, Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Picklenash Junior School?
Picklenash Junior School was not full in 2025: it ran at 65% of its 243 places.
How big are the classes at Picklenash Junior School?
Classes at Picklenash Junior School average 22.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Picklenash Junior School?
Picklenash Junior School has around 157 pupils on roll. 31% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Picklenash Junior School?
6.5% of sessions were missed at Picklenash Junior School in 2024/25. 23.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Picklenash Junior School?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Picklenash Junior School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Picklenash Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 9 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Picklenash Junior School?
Picklenash Junior School is at Ross Road, Newent, Gloucestershire, GL18 1BG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)