Oakfield Junior School, Leatherhead Review 2026: High-attaining junior school with a strong greater-depth profile

Strong Key Stage 2 outcomes are the immediate headline here, especially the proportion of pupils working at the higher standard. In the most recent published results, 80.7% met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 40.7% reached greater depth, far above the England average of 8%.

This is a junior school (Years 3 to 6) serving Fetcham and the surrounding Leatherhead area, with a published capacity of 256 pupils. Leadership is stable, with Debbie Willemse named as Headteacher and also listed in governance records from 2016.

Oakfield positions itself as a school where pupils are safe, successful and happy, and its published vision leans into confidence, curiosity, co-operation and care. That matters because junior schools often inherit a wide range of prior attainment and learning habits from multiple infant settings; what tends to distinguish the strongest juniors is how quickly they align pupils to shared routines and expectations.

The school also runs a Specialist Centre for moderate learning difficulties called Mulberry Class. The model is integration-led: each child belongs to a mainstream class, works in the centre in the mornings, then joins mainstream learning in the afternoons where appropriate, with support. For families weighing specialist support without losing day-to-day peer inclusion, this structure is a meaningful point of difference.

Leadership is another stabiliser. Debbie Willemse is listed as Headteacher on the school’s staff and welcome pages, and governance information indicates an ex-officio appointment date from January 2016.

For a junior school, the most useful question is how effectively it converts pupils’ Year 3 starting points into strong Key Stage 2 outcomes by the end of Year 6. Oakfield’s latest published results indicate both a high “expected standard” baseline and an unusually high “greater depth” profile.

• In 2024, 80.7% reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the England average of 62%.

• At the higher standard, 40.7% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%.

• Average scaled scores were 110 for reading and 109 for maths, with a grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled score of 113. Total combined reading, GPS and maths score was 332.

On FindMySchool’s proprietary rankings (based on official data), Oakfield ranks 297th in England for primary outcomes and 2nd locally in the Leatherhead area, placing it among the highest-performing schools in England (top 2%).

For parents, the implication is clear: this is not just a school where most pupils meet the standard; it is a school where a large minority exceed it. That can be a strong fit for children who enjoy stretch, fast-paced class discussion, and extension tasks that go beyond basic competence.

The published curriculum intent is rooted in the national curriculum, with emphasis on inclusive planning and differentiation, supported by specialist curriculum leaders. In practice, that division of labour usually means classroom teachers hold the overall arc of learning, while subject leadership provides consistent sequencing, shared expectations, and coaching on what high-quality work looks like.

Year-group pages indicate a topic-led approach that still takes knowledge-building seriously. Examples include visits that anchor history and geography in concrete experiences, such as Butser Ancient Farm for early historical periods and Bignor Roman Villa for Roman Britain, plus museum-linked enrichment in upper years.

A final piece of the learning model is practical, not philosophical: enrichment appears planned into the year, with road safety training and Bikeability referenced as part of the experience pupils move through as they progress. That tends to suit families who want a broad education without relying on parents to source every extra opportunity outside school hours.

As a junior school, the key transition point is Year 6 to Year 7. For most families, choices typically revolve around local Surrey secondary schools, including comprehensive options, faith schools, and selective routes where applicable. The most practical approach is to treat Oakfield’s strong Key Stage 2 outcomes as a foundation and then focus your secondary shortlist on journey time, pastoral fit, and the child’s appetite for academic competition.

For families considering selective tests or specialist pathways, the higher-standard profile suggests many pupils are capable of handling stretch. The more important question is whether the child enjoys that level of academic demand and the preparation it can entail.

Admissions are coordinated by Surrey County Council, which is listed as the admission authority for the school.

Entry is typically into Year 3 (age 7). Surrey’s coordinated admissions timetable for primary, infant and junior applications confirms an on-time closing date of 15 January 2026 for the September 2026 intake, and families should expect a similar mid-January deadline in future cycles unless the local authority changes the timetable.

Open events are referenced on the school site as tours, but dates are not consistently presented as forward-facing calendar entries. A sensible assumption is that tours run across the year, with peaks in the autumn term; confirm current availability directly via the school’s published channels.

A useful tactic, especially in competitive areas, is to use FindMySchool’s Map Search to understand your exact home-to-gate distance and compare it with historic last-offer distances where published, remembering that allocations can shift year to year.

The safeguarding structure is clearly signposted, with designated safeguarding leads named, and practical arrangements described for end-of-day handover in lower years.

On the inclusion side, Mulberry Class is again a material feature. The centre describes access to occupational therapy resources and multi-agency work with occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and speech and language therapists, alongside physical and sensory support services. The model is designed to build independence and reintegrate pupils into mainstream learning in a planned way, rather than separating them for the whole day.

The latest Ofsted inspection (June 2023) rated the school Good overall, with Outstanding for personal development.

The club programme is structured around lunchtime and after-school options, mixing staff-led provision with external clubs, with payment applying to external providers rather than the whole programme.

For parents, the strongest signal is specificity. Historical material about Oakfield’s clubs references a broad mix, including choir, chess, cooking, crochet, cross-country, dance, judo, karate, lego, netball, recorder, rounders and tennis. The current clubs timetable changes by term, but the school’s approach appears consistent: create multiple access points for different types of child, not just the sporty or the already confident.

Residentials and visits are also presented as a core part of the experience, including a Year 5 residential and curriculum-linked trips such as the British Museum and topic-specific activity days. The implication is that learning is not confined to exercise books, and pupils who learn best through experience are likely to benefit.

The school is also progressing an Arts and Wellbeing Hub project, with public reporting indicating £100,000 pledged via local community infrastructure funding. If delivered as intended, that could strengthen arts space and wellbeing capacity over time.

The published school day runs from 8:35am opening, with registration at 8:45am, and a 3:15pm finish.

Wraparound care is available, but delivered through partners rather than an in-house extended day. The school references breakfast provision starting at 7:50am via Fetcham Village Infant School, with children walked over in time for registration, and an on-site after-school club running until 6:00pm on weekdays during term time.

For transport, most families will treat this as a walking, cycling, or short-drive school, with the final decision shaped by local traffic patterns around Bell Lane at drop-off and pick-up. The school’s published safety messaging around handover arrangements suggests an active focus on managing end-of-day movement safely.

• High attainment can feel pressurised for some pupils. A strong greater-depth profile is excellent for confident learners, but children who find timed tests stressful may need careful reassurance and steady routines at home, especially in Year 6.

• Wraparound is partner-led. Breakfast and after-school options exist, but they sit with external providers. Families who prefer fully school-run wraparound should review how that model works in practice.

• Specialist provision is integrated, not separate. Mulberry Class is designed for inclusion, but the mornings-in-centre, afternoons-in-mainstream pattern will not suit every child with additional needs. Families should explore whether the balance matches their child’s learning profile.

Oakfield Junior School, Leatherhead stands out for outcomes, especially the proportion of pupils reaching greater depth at Key Stage 2. The combination of strong core results, structured enrichment, and an integration-led specialist centre gives it a distinctive offer for a state junior school.

Who it suits: families seeking a high-attaining junior school with clear stretch for confident learners, plus credible inclusion pathways for pupils who benefit from additional support while remaining part of mainstream school life.