The Raleigh School Review 2026, West Horsley primary with elite results

High performance is not a slogan here, it is visible in the way learning is sequenced from Reception onwards and then reinforced until it becomes secure knowledge. The Raleigh School is a two-form entry primary in West Horsley, serving pupils aged 4 to 11, with a layout that includes a dedicated wing for Reception and Year 1, plus the Endeavour Wing for Year 6.

Leadership is current and clearly defined. Mrs Elizabeth Carter-McQueen took up headship in January 2024, which means the school is now combining an established performance track record with a relatively new leadership chapter.

Parents will notice two big themes. First, the academic profile is unusually strong for a state primary. Second, the culture is structured and purposeful, but it is also designed to keep pupils steady, with routines that build confidence and a pastoral approach that treats emotional regulation as part of daily learning rather than an add-on.

The Raleigh’s identity is shaped by two overlapping influences: a local primary serving a semi-rural village, and a school that operates within a wider trust structure. It joined South Farnham Educational Trust in July 2017, and that matters because it brings shared practice, shared training, and a common language around teaching and curriculum development.

Pastoral culture is not left to chance. A clear example is the regular “calm me” sessions built into the day, which create predictable moments for pupils to reset and refocus. This is the kind of detail that tends to show up in schools where wellbeing is treated as a prerequisite for learning, not a separate strand that only appears when children are struggling.

There is also a noticeable emphasis on responsibility and contribution. Pupil roles include practical service roles such as “food friends” in the lunch hall, alongside leadership roles such as House Captains. The effect is that pupils are routinely asked to act with purpose, not just behave.

The physical organisation supports that culture. A separate wing for Reception and Year 1 helps the youngest pupils settle into school life with age-appropriate spaces and routines, while Year 6 has its own Endeavour Wing, which helps older pupils develop independence and readiness for secondary transition.

The headline picture is clear: outcomes place The Raleigh among the highest-performing primaries in England on published measures. In 2024, 97.33% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 53% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%.

Scaled scores are also strong: 111 for reading, 111 for mathematics, and 113 for grammar, punctuation and spelling. High scores are common, with 50% achieving the higher score in reading, 64% in maths, and 75% in grammar, punctuation and spelling. Science outcomes are similarly high, with 98% reaching the expected standard.

Rankings help parents place this performance in context. Ranked 98th in England and 1st in Leatherhead for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits in the elite tier, placing it in the top 2% of schools in England.

For parents comparing local options, it can be useful to use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view nearby primaries side-by-side, particularly if you are weighing up academic profile against travel time and wraparound logistics.

The most convincing indicator of teaching quality is not a headline statement, it is the coherence of what pupils know and how they connect it. A strong example of this is the way Year 6 learning links across subjects, such as using scientific understanding of fossils alongside geographical understanding of mountain formation. This points to a curriculum that is designed deliberately and then taught with enough clarity for pupils to transfer knowledge, not just recall it for a test.

Reading is treated as foundational from the earliest stages. Reception is positioned as the start of a structured reading journey, with expert teaching and support intended to keep pupils on track with the school’s reading programme. A key implication for families is that early gaps are less likely to become entrenched, which is often the difference between a child enjoying reading by Year 2 and a child avoiding it.

Staff expertise is also described in terms of explanation and checking understanding. Regular opportunities to revisit and apply learning are part of the model. For pupils, that means fewer “one-and-done” lessons and more practice over time, which is how knowledge becomes durable.

There is also evidence of a professional learning culture beyond the individual school. Trust “faculty groups” support shared expertise and curriculum decision-making, which can be particularly helpful in a primary setting where specialist subject depth is harder to sustain in isolation.

Most pupils move on at 11, with the school noting that the vast majority progress to The Howard of Effingham School. For families who want continuity of peer group and a clear local pathway, this is a practical advantage.

That said, the Year 6 onwards picture will vary by family priorities. Some pupils will pursue independent or selective routes, and families in this area often weigh up commute, co-curricular strengths, and admissions competitiveness across a relatively dense cluster of Surrey schools. The Raleigh helps readiness through the way it structures responsibility and independence in the later years, particularly through pupil leadership roles and expectations around self-management.

If secondary transfer is a major concern, families can use FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature to keep both primary and intended secondaries in one shortlist, then revisit it as open events and admission criteria updates appear through the autumn.

This is a Surrey local authority coordinated admissions school for Reception entry. The deadline to apply for a Reception place for September 2026 entry is Thursday 15 January 2026.

Oversubscription is a realistic issue. In the most recently reported Reception admissions round, there were 122 applications for 60 places, which is just over two applications per place. First-preference demand is also high, with 1.48 first preferences per offer.

When there are more applications than places, distance is used as the tie-breaker, measured as a straight line using the local authority’s system to the school’s nominated gates. Waiting lists operate by the same published criteria rather than by application date.

For families trying to judge realism, the most practical step is to use FindMySchoolMap Search to check distance from home to school gates, then treat that as one input alongside the oversubscription pattern. Even small changes in local demand can shift outcomes from one year to the next.

A consistent theme is that emotional readiness and learning readiness are treated as inseparable. The regular “calm me” sessions are a concrete example, and the broader personal, social and health education curriculum is positioned to help pupils understand physical and mental health in an age-appropriate way.

Pupils are also supported to speak up. Confidence to talk to staff and ask questions is part of the school’s stated culture, and relationships and sex education is delivered through staff training rather than left to individual interpretation.

Inclusion is addressed through both curriculum choices and wider culture. Book selection is used intentionally to represent different families and ethnicities, and to challenge gender stereotypes. For parents, the implication is that values education is practical and embedded, rather than limited to assemblies.

Extracurricular breadth is a clear strength, but what matters most is the mix of routine participation and genuine stretch. The club programme includes specific options such as French breakfast club, musical theatre club, and tag rugby club.

The current published club lists also show structured opportunities that start early in the day and continue after school, which can be important for working families who want enrichment to be part of the normal week rather than an occasional add-on.

Sport is treated as participation over time, with a stated aim that every pupil has the opportunity to represent the school across a range of events. The implication is that pupils who are not naturally drawn to competitive sport can still find a route into team activity and confidence-building.

Facilities support this breadth. The school references a dedicated music room and a creative art room, along with field and playground space, and it makes facilities available for community use, which often correlates with a site that is actively maintained and used beyond the formal school day.

The school day runs on a structured timetable. For Reception to Year 2, sessions are 08:40 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 15:15. For Years 3 to 6, sessions are 08:40 to 12:10 and 13:10 to 15:20.

Wraparound care is available. Breakfast club runs from 07:40 to 08:40 and after-school provision runs from 15:15 to 17:45, with breakfast and a light snack included as part of the offer.

Travel and parking require planning because the school sits within a residential area. The school asks families to avoid parking on zigzags, pavements and verges, and to keep driveways and entrances clear, which is both a safety issue and a neighbour relations issue.

• Competition for places: Reception entry is oversubscribed, with 122 applications for 60 places in the most recently reported round. Families should approach admissions with a Plan B in mind.

• Distance sensitivity: Distance is used as the tie-breaker when criteria are oversubscribed, measured in a straight line to nominated school gates. This can make outcomes sensitive to small differences in where applicants live within the local area.

• Strong outcomes can raise expectations: With outcomes at this level, some pupils may experience a higher-performance peer group than at a typical local primary. For many children this is motivating; for others it can feel pressurised without careful parental framing.

• Residential-area logistics: Drop-off and pick-up are shaped by local road constraints and considerate parking expectations. Families relying on car travel should read the school’s parking guidance early rather than assume it will be straightforward.

The Raleigh School combines exceptional published outcomes with a culture that is structured, calm, and deliberately inclusive. It will suit families who want a high-expectation primary where reading and curriculum sequencing are taken seriously from the start, and where enrichment and pupil responsibility are part of everyday life. Admission is the obstacle; for families who secure a place, the educational experience is unusually strong for a state primary.