Great Bookham School Review 2026: High-attaining village primary with clear values and strong pupil leadership

Great Bookham School sits at the centre of local life in Great Bookham, with roots that go back to land donated for a first school building in 1856. Today, it is a mixed state primary for pupils aged 4 to 11, with an increasingly structured, ambitious feel. Since September 2025, Reception has moved to two classes (up to 30 pupils per class), and the school also highlights additional capacity for Year 3 entry in September 2026 and September 2027.

Leadership is stable. Miss Jenna Allen is headteacher, and documentation published by the trust shows she took up the role from 01 September 2022. Governance sits within South Farnham Educational Trust, which the school joined in July 2022.

Academic outcomes at the end of primary are a standout. In 2024, 92% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 42.67% reached greater depth in reading, writing and maths combined, versus 8% across England. Reading (108), maths (111) and grammar, punctuation and spelling (110) scaled scores are also notably strong.

For parents assessing competitiveness, the headline is oversubscription. In the most recent admissions data provided here, Reception entry saw 171 applications for 60 offers, around 2.85 applications per place.

The school’s identity is unusually explicit. Its core values are summarised as CLUB: Curiosity, Love, Unity, Belief, and the language is used across the school’s messaging and pupil roles. That clarity matters in day-to-day culture, because it gives staff and pupils a shared shorthand for behaviour, relationships, and belonging.

A strong “pupil voice” thread runs through the way the school describes itself. The school council is positioned as a practical decision-making body, with councillors elected from each class and meeting through the year. The leadership roles offered to older pupils are also broad, including responsibilities linked to wellbeing and sport, plus prefect and house captain style posts. For many children, that range of roles can be a real confidence-builder, because leadership is not limited to the most extrovert or the most academic.

Community involvement is part of the story too. The school links its local presence back to the village history and highlights participation in village activities, including visits to Keswick House and involvement in events such as Bookham Open Gardens. This matters for families who value a primary school that feels connected to its place, not just to its test outcomes.

A distinctive wellbeing feature is Jasper, a trained wellbeing dog (Pets as Therapy assessed), visiting weekly to work with individuals and groups. In primary settings, a programme like this often helps pupils who find regulation and communication harder, and it can also set a calm tone for the whole building.

Outcomes at Key Stage 2 place Great Bookham School among the strongest primaries in England on this dataset.

In 2024, 92% met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. The higher standard figure is striking: 42.67% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to 8% across England. Reading, maths and grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled scores (108, 111, 110) reinforce the same picture of consistently strong attainment.

Rankings add context for parents comparing locally. Great Bookham School is ranked 583rd in England and 3rd in the Leatherhead area for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), placing it well above England average (top 10%).

The implication for families is twofold. First, pupils who enjoy stretching work are likely to find plenty of academic traction here. Second, demand tends to follow results, which is consistent with the school’s oversubscribed Reception entry data.

The curriculum messaging focuses on sequencing, subject knowledge, and strong reading foundations. The school describes a broad and balanced curriculum, with discrete teaching of geography, history and religious education through protected weekly timetabled sessions. That “protected time” detail is a useful signpost, because it suggests foundation subjects are planned rather than squeezed.

Reading sits at the centre of the approach, beginning early with phonics and continuing with frequent reading practice. The practical implication is that children who need extra practice in early reading are more likely to be identified quickly, while fluent readers should also see a coherent route into wider comprehension and curriculum reading.

There is also evidence of careful vertical planning. An example given in official reporting describes how pupils build understanding over time in science, moving from early knowledge through to more complex systems by Year 6. This sort of sequencing tends to benefit pupils who need clear structures, because it reduces the sense of disconnected topics.

As a Surrey primary, most families move into the county’s coordinated secondary admissions process, with applications for Year 7 typically made in the autumn of Year 6. For September 2026 secondary entry in Surrey, the on-time application deadline was 31 October 2025.

Locally, one clear pathway is Howard of Effingham School. Surrey’s published allocation information for 2025 shows Great Bookham School listed among Howard of Effingham’s partner or feeder primaries within its catchment criteria. That does not guarantee a place, but it can be a relevant factor for families aiming for a particular comprehensive route.

The school’s own documentation also references transition work, including Year 6 visits to secondary schools and transfer of pupil records. For families, the practical point is that the school recognises transition as a process to be managed, not just an administrative step at the end of Year 6.

Great Bookham School admissions are focused on two main entry points: Reception and Year 3. The school states that applications for September entry are made via Surrey County Council, with submission by January in the year of entry. For primary, infant and junior applications in Surrey, the on-time closing date for Reception entry was 15 January 2026.

The demand picture is clear from the data provided here. Reception entry recorded 171 applications for 60 offers, around 2.85 applications per place, and a first-preference pressure indicator of 1.06. In plain terms, this suggests more first-choice families than available places.

Open events are actively promoted. For September 2026 entry, the school ran tours mainly across late September to November 2025, with at least one date in January 2026, and notes that Reception tours and Year 3 tours are run differently. For future intakes, it is reasonable to expect tours to cluster in the same months, with exact dates published by the school.

If you are planning around distance, use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check your precise home-to-gate measurement, then keep an eye on the local authority’s allocation information each year. This dataset does not include a last offered distance for the school, so it is especially important to rely on official allocation data rather than assumptions.

Pastoral language at Great Bookham School is concrete rather than vague. The school sets out a “sense of belonging” focus, tied explicitly to being part of Great Bookham as a community, and links this to opportunities for pupils to represent the school locally.

Practical wellbeing tools also feature. The school uses Zones of Regulation to help pupils identify emotions and develop coping strategies, which is often valuable for children who struggle with self-regulation and for whole-class emotional literacy. Jasper the wellbeing dog adds another strand of support, with weekly work for individuals and groups.

Safeguarding information is clearly structured, with named safeguarding leads and an expectation that concerns are recorded and reported through the right channels.

Extracurricular life looks deliberately varied, with a mix of staff-led clubs and paid external providers. A published clubs timetable for Autumn term 2025 to 2026 includes options such as Construction Club, Newsround Club, Textiles, Tennis, Film Club, Mandarin Club, Gardening Club, Netball, Benchball, Indoor Athletics and Tag Rugby, plus paid activities including dodgeball, Tae Kwon-Do, Kidslingo Spanish and Soccer Star.

The photo gallery also signals breadth through activities such as African Drumming, Cookery Club and Judo. For pupils, the implication is that enrichment is not confined to sport, and children with different interests should find a route in, whether that is performance, making, languages, or leadership.

Facilities support that breadth. The school lists two halls, an IT suite, a music room and an art room, plus a large field with two marked football pitches in autumn and winter, a running track and netball courts. Music is supported through peripatetic instrumental teaching, with visiting staff covering a wide range of instruments.

School hours are clearly published. For Reception to Year 2, the day runs 08.45 to 12.00 and 13.00 to 15.20; for Years 3 to 6, it runs 08.45 to 12.00 and 13.00 to 15.25. The school describes pupils as being on site for around 33 hours per week.

Wraparound care is a practical strength. Breakfast club runs from 07.30 and after-school provision runs to 17.55.

Lunches are cooked on site via Twelve15 (Surrey County Council). Key Stage 2 lunches are listed at £2.90 per day. For drop-off and pick-up, parking expectations are explicit: parent parking is not available on the school site, and the school asks families to avoid unsafe stopping areas and protect neighbour access.

• Entry remains competitive. Recent Reception entry data shows 171 applications for 60 offers, around 2.85 applications per place, so families should treat admission as the main variable, not the education once a place is secured.

• Year group structure is changing. Reception became two-form entry from September 2025, and the school signals added capacity at Year 3 for September 2026 and September 2027. This can be a positive for access and peer breadth, but it can also change the feel of cohort size over time.

• Parking needs planning. With no parent parking on site, routines depend on safe walking routes, considerate local parking, and realistic timing at peak drop-off and pick-up.

• Some costs still apply in a state school. Tuition is free, but items such as Key Stage 2 lunches (£2.90 per day) and some paid clubs can add up, so it is worth budgeting early.

Great Bookham School combines unusually strong end-of-primary results with a clear, values-led culture and a practical approach to wellbeing and leadership. It suits families who want a high-attaining primary with structured teaching, consistent expectations, and plenty of opportunities beyond lessons, from Mandarin Club to pupil leadership roles. The limiting factor is admission, so shortlisting should start early, and families should track Surrey deadlines and tour timings closely.