Valentine Primary School & Nursery, Southampton
Valentine Primary School & Nursery is a primary school for pupils aged 0 to 11 in Southampton. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 75th-highest of the 79 schools in Southampton with published results, and 13,797th of 14,452 across England. It was 59% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Southampton (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Valentine Primary School & Nursery in detail
Valentine Primary School & Nursery in its own words
In its own words: "I would like to warmly welcome you to Valentine Primary School. Situated in Southampton, we are proud to serve the Sholing community in an environment where our children come first. Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
From the headteacher's welcome: "A huge welcome to our new school mascot - Leo the Lion! Leo the Lion, purchased by the incredible PTFA, has made an entrance to Valentine Primary School. Aimed at increasing motivation and enjoyment levels, Leo's job is to visit classes, to participate in school life and to be a friend to our pupils."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 56% of Year 6 pupils at Valentine Primary School & Nursery reached the expected standard in reading and 48% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 71% and 70% in Southampton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (58% in reading, 51% in maths).
Getting a place at Valentine Primary School & Nursery
For September 2026 entry, 28 families put Valentine Primary School & Nursery as their first choice and 48 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Valentine Primary School & Nursery
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Valentine Primary School & Nursery are St Monica Primary School (0.6 miles, 66% reading, 56% maths); Hightown Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 43% reading, 21% maths); Weston Park Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 74% reading, 75% maths); and Thornhill Primary School (0.9 miles, Requires improvement, 44% reading, 41% maths).
Valentine Primary School & Nursery's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
St Monica Primary SchoolHightown Primary SchoolWeston Park Primary SchoolThornhill Primary School
What parents say
121 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Valentine Primary School & Nursery (as of September 2025): 65% would recommend the school, 79% say their child is happy there and 47% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (79%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (47%).
Who goes there
50.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 11% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Staffing
Valentine Primary School & Nursery had 16 teachers in 2026, one for every 31 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sholing Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Valentine Avenue (e-bound), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Valentine Primary School & Nursery issued 16 suspensions, 3.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Valentine Primary School & Nursery are Oasis Academy Mayfield (0.4 miles), Weston Secondary School (1 mile), Oasis Academy Sholing (1 mile) and The Hamble School (1.8 miles).
Oasis Academy MayfieldWeston Secondary SchoolOasis Academy SholingThe Hamble School
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
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Valentine Primary School has transformed into a caring, ambitious school where pupils thrive. The school has dramatically improved behaviour and attendance while introducing a high-quality curriculum that helps all children, including those with additional needs, achieve their best. Pupils benefit from expert phonics teaching, inspiring enrichment activities, and staff who genuinely value them and hold high expectations for their success.
Key Strengths
- Strong leadership transformation with high expectations for all pupils, including those with SEND - receiving consistent, well-targeted support
- Excellent phonics and reading programme with expertly trained staff delivering consistent, high-quality teaching
- Dramatic improvement in pupil behaviour and attendance, with a significant reduction in suspensions
- Well-designed, ambitious curriculum delivered effectively in most subjects with clear teaching and helpful learning strategies
- Warm, respectful school environment where pupils are polite, play harmoniously together, and demonstrate values like kindness and responsibility
Areas for Improvement
- Some teaching activities do not enable pupils to fully reinforce and apply previously learned knowledge or develop deep understanding
- Teachers' pedagogical knowledge is not consistently strong across all curriculum areas
- Subject leadership needs further strengthening to continue building on rapid improvements
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips to local area and London, live music workshops, theatre workshops, work with school's artist in residence, community work with care home, litter picking events
Valentine Primary School has improved rapidly from its previous 'Requires Improvement' rating to 'Good' across all areas, thanks to significant changes in leadership and curriculum. Pupils feel valued and safe, with strong behaviour and improved achievement, though some teaching strategies still need strengthening.
At a Glance
50.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
121 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 remained stable at around 56% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 48% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 59% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
21.9
Avg class size
23.3
Infant (KS1)
25.2
KS2
20
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Valentine Primary School & Nursery
Before and after school care
Valentine Primary School & Nursery is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Southampton
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Valentine Primary School & Nursery from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Valentine Primary School & Nursery is in Southampton; for families living there:
Apply to Southampton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 19
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 14 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
6 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 Southampton is 33 (the median across 87 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
Your chances of a place at Valentine Primary School & Nursery
Will you get a place at Valentine Primary School & Nursery? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Valentine Primary School & Nursery's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Valentine Primary School & Nursery:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Valentine Primary School & Nursery.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Southampton, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Valentine Primary School & Nursery for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Southampton got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
59%
Available places
498 pupils
840 places
342 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Southampton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Southampton
Across Southampton council
Places available
2,745
Applications
2,122
Got 1st preference
93.3%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Southampton council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(12)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
82
SEN Support
17
EHC Plans
21.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
453
Total Pupils
246
Boys
207
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
28.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£43,645
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,744
Per pupil
£3456k
Total funding
£350k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.5%
Overall absence
23.1%
Persistent absence
472
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
Valentine Primary School & Nursery
Questions parents ask about Valentine Primary School & Nursery
What are SATs results like at Valentine Primary School & Nursery?
Of the pupils at Valentine Primary School & Nursery who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 56% reached the expected standard in reading and 48% did so in maths.
What is Valentine Primary School & Nursery's Ofsted rating?
Valentine Primary School & Nursery's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Valentine Primary School & Nursery?
No fixed boundary. When Valentine Primary School & Nursery is oversubscribed, Southampton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Valentine Primary School & Nursery?
Valentine Primary School & Nursery was not full in 2025: it ran at 59% of its 840 places.
How big are the classes at Valentine Primary School & Nursery?
Classes at Valentine Primary School & Nursery average 21.9 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Valentine Primary School & Nursery?
Valentine Primary School & Nursery has around 453 pupils on roll. 50% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Valentine Primary School & Nursery?
7.5% of sessions were missed at Valentine Primary School & Nursery in 2024/25. 23.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Valentine Primary School & Nursery?
Apply through Southampton's coordinated admissions process, naming Valentine Primary School & Nursery on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Valentine Primary School & Nursery have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Valentine Primary School & Nursery is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Valentine Primary School & Nursery?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 14 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 6 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 Southampton is 33 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Valentine Primary School & Nursery?
Valentine Primary School & Nursery is at Valentine Avenue, Sholing, Southampton, Hampshire, SO19 0EQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)