Meon Junior School in Portsmouth has been rated as meeting strong standards across key areas following an Ofsted inspection on 25 November 2025, with the school on Shelford Road, PO4 8NT, recognised for its inclusive culture, committed leadership, and strong pupil wellbeing.​
Inspection Outcomes
The Meon Junior School Ofsted report awarded “strong standard” ratings in inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing, while achieving the “expected standard” in curriculum and teaching, achievement, and attendance and behaviour. Safeguarding standards were confirmed as fully met, with inspectors noting that leaders have established an open culture in which safeguarding is regarded as everyone’s responsibility.​
Pupils and Inclusion
Inspectors found that pupils’ needs are carefully identified and well understood by staff, with effective training enabling teachers to adapt lessons so that all pupils can engage and achieve. A dedicated space known as “the meadow” provides tailored support for those requiring additional input, and the school’s considered use of pupil premium funding ensures that disadvantaged pupils receive targeted help to overcome barriers. A “team around the child” approach is also employed when required, joining up different strands of provision to address individual needs.​
Leadership and Governance
Leaders, governors, and trustees are described as united in their commitment to the school’s continual improvement, with decisions consistently made in the best interests of pupils — particularly the most disadvantaged. A recently introduced “parent hub” is noted as a promising development in strengthening connections between the school and families, while leaders are also commended for actively managing staff workload and wellbeing. The school is part of The Thinking Schools Academy Trust, led by chief executive officer Stuart Gardner, and sits within the Meon Way Federation, with executive headteacher Sara Paine at the helm.​
Curriculum and Teaching
Inspectors confirmed that leaders have developed a well-sequenced curriculum that identifies the specific knowledge pupils need and the order in which it should be taught, directly addressing an area of focus from the previous inspection. Reading is given high priority across the school, supported by a welcoming library where pupils take on roles as librarians and recommend books to their peers. The report notes that while staff generally address misconceptions effectively, tackling them more swiftly — particularly in written work — would further benefit all pupils.​
Achievement and Attendance
Pupils achieve well, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with 65% reaching the expected standard in combined reading, writing, and mathematics in 2024/25 — above the national average of 62%. Maths and writing performance for disadvantaged pupils showed notable improvement in 2024/25, with 79% reaching the expected standard in maths and 74% in writing, both above national averages. The school’s overall absence rate of 4.3% in 2023/24 was below the national average of 5.5%, and persistent absence stood at 7.3% against a national figure of 14.6%.​
Pupil Wellbeing and Personal Development
The school’s personal, social, emotional, and health education programme is praised for helping pupils understand how to keep safe and healthy, and for fostering tolerance and respect. Pupils hold a range of leadership roles, including student councillors, “eco warriors” who litter-pick in and around the school, pupil librarians, and attendance ambassadors. Workshops delivered by a neighbouring university technical college develop pupils’ STEM skills, and an “aspirations day” introduces children to a wide range of careers, including engineering, floristry, and writing.​
Next Steps
Inspectors identified one area for further development: leaders should continue to embed strategies for developing writing and grammar in order to sustain improvements in pupil achievement. The inspection was led by His Majesty’s Inspector Marian Feeley, supported by team inspectors Katie Hancock, Stephen Cattell, and Stuart Bevan.​
