Oaklands Junior School Review 2026: A thinking-led junior school with strong KS2 outcomes

A junior school that starts at Year 3 can feel like a reset button for families, new classmates, a fresh teaching style, and a chance to build confidence before secondary school. Oaklands Junior School leans into that moment with a clear organising idea: helping pupils learn how to think, not just what to remember. The school describes itself as an accredited Thinking School, with a focus on pupils using taught “thinking tools” independently as they move through Years 3 to 6.

Leadership has also been shaped around transition and continuity across the wider Oaklands site. From September 2024, Mrs Hazel West became Executive Headteacher across Oaklands Infant and Junior Schools, with Mr Duncan Holland leading day-to-day operations for the junior school and Miss Ellen Weston leading day-to-day operations for the infant school.

The April 2022 Ofsted inspection confirmed the school continues to be Good.

A lot of junior schools talk about independence; here it is framed explicitly as cognitive independence. The school’s own language centres on pupils becoming capable of choosing and applying thinking tools, rather than relying on prompts. Parents who value pupils explaining their reasoning, talking through solutions, and linking ideas across subjects will recognise the intent quickly.

The “thinking curriculum” theme also shows up in the way learning is described in official reporting. Pupils are expected to work through discussion, and classroom talk is positioned as a route to deeper understanding rather than an add-on for confident speakers.

Pastoral culture is described in equally direct terms. Pupils are reported as feeling safe and secure, and they describe the school as discrimination-free. Behaviour is described as very strong, with bullying characterised as rare and dealt with swiftly.

Leadership is worth understanding, because families will see several titles used in different contexts. The school website presents Miss Ellen Weston and Mr Duncan Holland as co-headteachers, while trust and admissions documentation also refers to Mrs Hazel West as Executive Headteacher across the infant and junior schools. In practice, this is a three-person structure: an executive lead across both schools, plus heads responsible for day-to-day life in each school.

A final piece of identity is governance and trust context. Oaklands Junior School is part of the Corvus Learning Trust, established in January 2018 by four founding schools including Oaklands Junior and Edgbarrow School. For parents, the practical implication is that some policies and professional development are likely to be shaped at trust level, even when the day-to-day feel remains distinctly local.

Oaklands Junior School’s outcomes place it above the England average on the headline Key Stage 2 combined measure.

In 2024, 79.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 28.67% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. (This higher-standard figure is often the best single indicator of how well a school stretches its stronger learners.)

Other 2024 indicators are consistent with a strong profile: 95% met the expected standard in science, compared with an England average of 82%; reading, mathematics, and GPS scaled scores are reported as 107, 107, and 108 respectively.

In FindMySchool’s proprietary rankings based on official data, Oaklands Junior School is ranked 2,835th in England for primary outcomes and 3rd locally for Crowthorne. That places it above the England average, comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

Parents comparing schools locally should use the FindMySchool local hub comparison tool to view these results side-by-side with other nearby options, because context matters: cohort sizes, intake patterns, and local demographics can all influence year-to-year variation.

The clearest thread in curriculum intent is transfer, pupils learning something in one subject and applying it in another. That matters for juniors, because Year 3 often includes pupils arriving from a separate infant school, and Year 6 includes pupils preparing to move on again. A transfer-minded approach tends to support pupils who need help turning knowledge into usable skill: explaining reasoning, linking evidence, choosing methods, and learning how to revise effectively.

Reading is positioned as a priority, including structured phonics support for pupils who still need it at junior age. The important point for families is not the label, but the practicality: if a child arrives in Year 3 still working towards fluent decoding, the school describes systems designed to close gaps promptly, rather than letting pupils drift.

Mathematics is described in unusually specific teaching terms. The approach highlights mathematical language, pupils using correct terminology when explaining answers, and the use of retrieval grids to revisit prior learning. For parents, this typically shows up as children becoming more precise: they explain methods, not just answers; they use vocabulary correctly; they revisit topics repeatedly rather than treating them as finished units.

Support for pupils with additional needs is described as part of normal classroom practice, with curriculum adaptation and targeted support to help pupils access learning or catch up when needed. The school also highlights an educational psychotherapist role as part of its wider wellbeing approach, and the school’s own materials include staff-led guidance for families on supporting transitions and emotional regulation.

Outdoor learning is also framed as curriculum-linked rather than occasional. The intent is to use outdoor facilities, trips, and visitors to give hands-on experiences connected to what pupils are learning in class. That tends to suit pupils who learn best through doing, and it can also be a helpful route for reluctant writers who find ideas more easily after practical experience.

Because this is a junior school, the main “next step” is secondary transfer at the end of Year 6.

The school states that the majority of pupils transfer to Edgbarrow School, reflecting local patterns of where families live and the area traditionally served by that secondary school. The school also notes that some pupils move on to other state and independent schools, and it advises families to check secondary admission criteria carefully and hold a realistic back-up option.

For parents, the practical implication is that planning for Year 7 should start earlier than many expect, especially if you are considering a secondary school where eligibility depends on precise criteria. If you are distance-dependent for your preferred secondary, FindMySchool’s map search tools are useful for checking how your address might compare with historic cut-offs, while remembering that cut-offs can shift each year.

Entry is primarily at Year 3 (September intake), and the school publishes detailed admission arrangements for the 2026 to 2027 intake.

For September 2026 entry to Year 3, the Published Admission Number (PAN) is 64. Families apply via their home local authority (the authority where council tax is paid) using the common application form or the authority’s online process. The published closing date for applications was 15 January 2026, and offers are issued by the home local authority on 16 April 2026 (or the next working day).

A key detail for Oaklands families is that there is no automatic transfer from Oaklands Infant School to Oaklands Junior School. Even if a child attends the infant school, parents still need to submit a Year 3 application.

Oversubscription is handled through published criteria. After pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, priority includes looked-after and previously looked-after children; children with specific medical or social grounds (with supporting evidence); children attending Oaklands Infant School; and children of staff in defined circumstances. If places are refused, families have a right of appeal, and waiting list arrangements are described in the published policy.

In-year applications (outside the normal Year 3 round) are handled via the school’s in-year process, with outcomes determined by the admissions committee and availability in the relevant year group.

The school’s pastoral picture is unusually well documented in official reporting, with clear statements about behaviour, safety, and trust in adults.

Pupils are described as learning in a happy, safe environment, behaving very well, and showing high levels of respect. Bullying is described as rare, and pupils report that when issues arise adults act quickly. These points matter because they are the everyday conditions that make learning possible, particularly for pupils arriving into a junior setting who may be nervous about a new peer group.

The 26 to 27 April 2022 Ofsted inspection stated that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Wellbeing support is also described through specific roles. The school publishes information about its educational psychotherapist, including the staff member’s background and the scope of support offered for children affected by experiences such as bereavement, family separation, and neurodiversity. A parent support adviser role is also described as offering confidential guidance to parents and carers on a range of issues.

The most useful way to judge extracurricular life is specificity. Oaklands Junior School publishes a structured clubs, teams, and music lessons list, including both staff-led and external-provider options, plus wraparound provision.

For Spring Term 2026, examples include WASMA Choir, Art Club, Multi-Sports Club, Footlights: Act, Sing & Dance, chess coaching, fencing via Little Musketeers, tennis via AceStars, and language clubs including French and Spanish. Music lessons are also listed with Berkshire Music Trust (for example, guitar and violin), and there is a Rock Academy option noted as well.

There is also evidence of nature-leaning and running activities at different points in the year, including Bird Watching and Running in staff-led club lists.

The implication for families is twofold. First, pupils who thrive on routine can build a predictable week with consistent sessions. Second, pupils who need a confidence boost after a move into Year 3 can often find it faster through a shared activity than through classroom dynamics alone.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The school day is clearly set out: classroom doors open at 08:40; doors close at 08:50; the day ends at 15:20. The timetable also notes key blocks such as assembly and lunch.

Wraparound care is available via The Beehive breakfast and after school clubs. Breakfast runs Monday to Friday, 07:30 to 08:45; after school provision runs Monday to Friday, 15:20 to 18:00. The school notes that fees apply for this provision.

For travel and access, the school publishes site guidance asking visitors to park sensibly in neighbourhood roads and use pedestrian gate access, with published opening times for gates.

• Year 3 entry needs active planning. There is no automatic transfer from the linked infant school into the junior school; families must apply on time via their home local authority.

• Admissions timing is easy to miss. For September 2026 entry, the published deadline was 15 January 2026 with offers issued on 16 April 2026, which means families need to be organised early in Year 2. Future years typically follow a similar mid-January, mid-April pattern, but families should verify the exact dates each year.

• A thinking-led approach is a specific fit. The emphasis on discussion, reasoning, and thinking tools will suit many pupils, but children who strongly prefer straightforward instruction with minimal talk may need time to adapt.

• Parking and access require patience. Site guidance indicates limited on-site access and an expectation that families park considerately and walk in, which can be a daily friction point if routines are tight.

Oaklands Junior School offers a distinctive junior-phase education: strong KS2 outcomes, a clearly articulated thinking-led curriculum, and a well-evidenced pastoral culture. Best suited to families who want a junior school that explicitly teaches reasoning and independence, and who are comfortable engaging early with the Year 3 admissions process. The main constraint for some families is not the education, it is managing entry timing and eligibility in a junior-school admissions round.