Hove Junior School Review 2026, high-performing Key Stage 2 school across two Hove sites

A large junior school that feels unusually coherent for its size. Hove Junior School runs across two sites, with a four-form entry base at Portland Road and a two-form entry base at Holland Road, together serving pupils in Years 3 to 6.

Academic outcomes at Key Stage 2 are a major strength. In 2024, 81.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, and 30.67% achieved the higher standard, placing the school well above England averages. It is ranked 2,054th in England and 1st in Hove for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data).

The latest Ofsted inspection (17 and 18 June 2025) judged all four key areas as Outstanding, with no single overall grade under the post September 2024 framework.

Scale is part of the story here. Six forms per year group can feel anonymous in some schools, but the culture at Hove Juniors is designed to keep pupils known and seen. The structure helps, pupils sit within named classes that are easy for children to own (colour-named classes at Portland Road and gemstone-named classes at Holland Road), and there is a clear emphasis on belonging and responsibility.

Leadership roles appear to be a deliberate feature rather than an add-on. Roles referenced in the most recent inspection include house captains and play leaders, alongside a wider set of pupil responsibilities such as sports buddies, learning buddies and mental health ambassadors. The practical implication for families is that confidence is built through routine responsibility, not only through one-off events.

The school’s self-description leans heavily on shared learning habits. It frames its approach through a set of “learning characteristics” intended as transferable behaviours that show up across lessons and relationships, with resilience, perseverance and collaboration explicitly referenced in external review. That matters because it signals a school trying to shape how pupils learn, not only what they learn.

History and modernisation sit side by side. The Portland Road buildings date from the late Victorian period, and the school prospectus notes the main building was built in 1898. At the same time, the day-to-day environment described by the school is practical and updated, including specialist spaces and targeted intervention rooms rather than a purely traditional classroom layout.

For a junior school, Key Stage 2 outcomes are the key reference point. Hove Junior School’s results indicate high attainment across the core suite:

• Expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined (2024): 81.33%, compared with an England average of 62%

• Higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined (2024): 30.67%, compared with an England average of 8%

• Scaled scores (2024): Reading 109, mathematics 107, grammar, punctuation and spelling 108

These figures point to a school where strong attainment is not limited to a small top set, because the expected standard rate is also high, and the higher standard rate is far above typical levels.

Rankings add context for parents comparing locally. Ranked 2,054th in England and 1st in Hove for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results sit above England average, comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

A useful way to read this is through risk and fit. Families prioritising consistently strong KS2 outcomes, including a sizeable higher-attaining cohort, will see clear evidence here. Families who want a lower-pressure feel should consider how a high-attaining junior school can shape peer culture in Year 6, particularly around end of Key Stage 2 expectations and secondary transfer conversations.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view these results alongside nearby schools, using the same underlying official dataset and consistent measures.

The curriculum narrative presented by the school is that learning is planned deliberately, and pupils have a voice in topics and standards, within a structured whole-school approach. In practice, this tends to show up as clear sequencing and consistent vocabulary routines across subjects, which supports pupils who thrive on predictable learning structures and repeated practice.

The inspection evidence describes a highly ambitious curriculum with precise knowledge and vocabulary identified across subjects, and lesson sequences designed to build knowledge cumulatively. That approach typically benefits pupils who like clarity about what “good” looks like, including those who may not have extensive academic support at home, because expectations are made explicit in class rather than assumed.

Writing is a useful example of the academic ambition. The inspection report references pupils publishing high-quality written outcomes, including an Explorer’s Log response to ambitious shared texts. The implication is a school that treats presentation and final outcomes as part of learning, not as an optional extra, which can suit pupils who gain confidence from producing polished work.

As a junior school, the next step is Year 7. For Brighton and Hove families, secondary applications are coordinated through the local authority, and the city publishes detailed annual guidance for transfer. The 2026 to 2027 secondary admissions guide sets out the main categories of schools in the city and lists community secondary options including Blatchington Mill, Hove Park, Dorothy Stringer, Varndean, Longhill High and Patcham High, with other schools operating their own admission arrangements within the coordinated system.

What matters in practice is preparation and transition rather than a single destination list. The school’s culture of leadership roles and structured learning habits aligns well with what many secondary schools expect from incoming Year 7 pupils, especially around independence, organisation and the ability to work with different classmates. The prospectus also signals deliberate work on change and “working with others” through class organisation and mixing, which is a good match for the social reset that happens at secondary transfer.

Entry is at Year 3 (age 7), and most pupils transfer from West Hove Infant School, with smaller numbers joining from other local infant schools. Admissions are coordinated by Brighton and Hove City Council rather than directly by the school.

The local authority’s published timetable matters because junior transfer is a high-stakes point for many families. For September 2026 entry, the council’s deadline for on-time applications for junior (Year 3) places is 15 January 2026, with National Offer Day on 16 April 2026 and an acceptance deadline of 30 April 2026.

Capacity is clearly stated. The school’s admissions page notes an admission limit of 128 children per year group for each site, which underlines that this is a large junior school, but still one where specific site placement and sibling links can matter to families.

For parents weighing proximity, catchment and likelihood of offer, it is sensible to treat published admissions timelines and criteria as the controlling documents. Families can use FindMySchoolMap Search to check precise home-to-school distance alongside any published allocation information, then sanity-check it against the local authority’s annual admissions materials.

Tours and informal visits appear to be available in term time rather than restricted to a single open evening window, with the school indicating that families are welcome to look around. In a large school, seeing both sites (if relevant to your application) is worthwhile, because day-to-day logistics and the feel of the playground space can differ between buildings even within one school community.

Pastoral work is framed as an everyday system rather than a reactive one. The inspection report describes wellbeing as central, with a personal, social and health education curriculum that covers mental health risk recognition, peer support, online safety, and issues such as racism, peer pressure and self-image in a direct way. This tends to suit pupils who benefit from explicit teaching about friendships and digital life rather than leaving it to informal pastoral conversations.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described as timely and carefully adapted. The same external evidence highlights rapid identification of needs and strong support, with disadvantaged pupils also described as achieving as well as their peers. In parent terms, this suggests that inclusion is embedded in classroom practice and wider participation, not only handled through withdrawal interventions.

The school also references practical family-facing wellbeing support, including Parent Gym run by the school learning mentor. That is often a meaningful marker for parents who want a school that will work with families on routines, behaviour and emotional regulation, not just report issues when they arise.

The extracurricular picture here is strongest when described in concrete examples rather than generic club lists, because the school runs both in-house wraparound provision and a menu of independent provider clubs.

At Portland Road, independent provider after-school options listed by the school include Table Tennis, Lucy Brandt Author Club, The Outdoor Project, Skate Club and TaDA! Drama. For pupils who are not sport-first, the author club and drama option are particularly useful signals that creativity and communication are treated as legitimate after-school priorities, not second-tier alternatives.

Facilities also support a broad offer. The 2025 to 2026 prospectus describes a computing suite, a galaxy-themed sensory room, a hall used for sport and assemblies, and outdoor investment such as astro-turf recreational areas, a climbing wall, active mile markings, a hedgerow and renovated grounds supported by the PTA. The implication is that play and physical confidence are being engineered into the everyday environment, which can benefit pupils who regulate through movement and outdoor time.

Sport and physical education have some specific hooks. The prospectus notes Year 4 swimming lessons at King Alfred Leisure Centre, and use of external park facilities for games and sport. This matters for families who want guaranteed curriculum experiences rather than optional enrichment, particularly for children who build confidence through sport but may not join competitive clubs outside school.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The published school day runs 8.50am to 3.20pm, with a fluid entry from 8.40am. The prospectus also sets out slightly staggered end times at the Holland Road site (Years 3 and 4 finishing at 3.15pm, with Years 5 and 6 at 3.20pm).

Wraparound care is a clear practical strength. Breakfast Club at Portland Road runs from 7.45am to the start of the school day, and the after-school club operates to 6.00pm, with a standard session price of £15.

For travel, the school sits within central Hove’s residential streets where walking and cycling are common at drop-off. Local authority “School Streets” measures apply around Portland Road at specified morning and afternoon windows on weekdays in term time, which can affect driver access and parking plans.

• Junior entry point. This is a Year 3 start school, so families moving from infant provision need to plan ahead for the transfer process and timelines, particularly if they want a specific site.

• Large-scale setting. Six forms per year brings social breadth and plenty of peer options, but quieter pupils sometimes prefer smaller cohorts, especially during the first term of Year 3.

• Strong attainment culture. The academic profile is a draw, but it can also create a Year 6 atmosphere where high expectations feel normal. Families who prefer a gentler pace should probe how homework, support and extension work are handled in upper juniors.

• Two-site logistics. Routines and pick-up logistics can differ between sites. For families balancing siblings, childcare and work schedules, it is worth understanding exactly which site applies to your child’s place and how clubs run across both.

Hove Junior School suits families who want a high-performing Key Stage 2 education in a large, structured junior setting, with a clear focus on learning habits and pupil responsibility. The results profile and the 2025 inspection outcomes support the view that teaching, behaviour and personal development are strong at scale.

Best suited to pupils who like clear routines, enjoy being part of a big year group, and benefit from a school that builds confidence through responsibilities and well-taught foundations. For many families, the key decision is less about quality and more about planning the Year 3 entry route and understanding the practicalities of a two-site school.