Moss Hall Junior School Review 2026: A high-performing Barnet junior with a clear academic spine

Be Kind, Work Hard and Make a Difference is not just a slogan here, it is used as the practical shorthand for behaviour, expectations and classroom habits. Pupils join at Year 3 and, by the end of Year 6, outcomes are comfortably above England averages, with strong scaled scores across reading, mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling.

The physical set up matters, too. The junior school building dates from 1952 and is a sizeable three-floor site with a library, a music room, an ICT suite and an on-site swimming pool; outdoor space includes two large playgrounds and fields at the front of the school. Together, these features support a school that can run ambitious curriculum work alongside a busy enrichment and wraparound offer.

This is a federation-led junior school that puts a lot of emphasis on calm routines and shared language. The federation has operated as one organisation since January 2020, and the curriculum and behaviour approach is framed as a continuous journey from Reception through Year 6.

Leadership is clear and visible. The federation’s leadership team lists Jen Brodkin as Executive Headteacher, with phase leaders for Years 3 and 4 and Years 5 and 6, alongside designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) across the federation. A June 2025 federation presentation introduced Jen Brodkin as the new executive head, and a pupil premium statement published on 10 December 2025 shows she is established in post.

The best atmosphere indicators are the small systems pupils use to get help and to raise concerns, plus the school’s willingness to talk about wellbeing in concrete terms rather than vague reassurance. Pupils can share worries via an ‘ask it basket’, and staff are positioned as approachable problem-solvers when issues arise. Another distinctive feature is the school dog, Zuki, an Australian Labradoodle, used deliberately to support children’s confidence and to encourage reluctant readers by giving them a friendly audience. Families who would rather their child does not interact with Zuki can opt out, which is a sensible, practical safeguard.

One additional context point for 2026 planning is admissions capacity. A federation letter explains a proposal to reduce the Published Admission Number for the junior school from 120 to 90 places, linked to local demand trends and the expected size of the feeder cohort. For parents, that is not a judgement on quality, it is an operational detail that could affect competitiveness and class organisation in coming years.

For a junior school, end of Key Stage 2 outcomes are the most useful single snapshot, and the 2024 picture is strong. In 2024, 82.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 29.67% reached greater depth, compared with the England average of 8%.

Scaled scores reinforce that this is not just a borderline effect. Reading averaged 107, mathematics 106, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 110, with a combined reading, GPS and maths total score of 323.

The FindMySchool ranking places the school 2,404th in England and 36th in Barnet for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This sits above the England average overall, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

What this means in practice is that the school appears to get large proportions of pupils securely over the expected standard line, while also pushing a meaningful minority into higher standard territory. For families, that combination tends to indicate consistent teaching routines, a well-sequenced curriculum, and a culture where pupils are expected to retain knowledge rather than simply move on.

Curriculum design is unusually explicit for a junior school website, which is a good sign of clarity. The federation describes a knowledge-rich curriculum with a strong emphasis on reading, social justice, and critical thinking, organised through recurring “lenses” such as Migration and Diversity, Climate and Biomes, Rights, Sustainability, and Power and Monarchy.

The practical classroom routines underpinning this are also spelled out. The federation describes lesson sequencing, direct instruction, regular recall, low-stakes quizzing, knowledge organisers, and structured questioning strategies, including approaches such as cold calling and “no opt out”. For parents, the implication is that learning is treated as cumulative. That matters in Key Stage 2 where subject knowledge, vocabulary and writing stamina need to build fast between ages 7 and 11.

Reading is treated as a core driver rather than an add-on. The school’s Accelerated Reader guidance shows a deliberate attempt to match pupils to appropriately challenging texts, using a Star Reader test to generate a reading range and colour-coded levels, and encouraging daily reading (typically 20 to 30 minutes). It also sets out an operational rhythm, including quizzes after finishing books and regular opportunities to change books during library sessions and lunchtime library club.

Special educational needs support is framed as early identification and planned scaffolding, with individual learning plans and pre-teaching of key vocabulary described as part of routine teaching practice. That kind of approach generally helps pupils with SEND access the same curriculum content, which aligns with the strong whole-cohort attainment picture.

As a junior school, the main destination point is secondary transfer at age 11. The school does not publish a named list of secondary destinations with numbers, so it is best to think in terms of Barnet’s local secondary landscape: a mix of comprehensive schools and selective options, with families applying through the Local Authority’s coordinated process.

Within the federation, the bigger transition story is the internal move from the infant school into Year 3. The Year 3 admissions guidance is clear that families at the infant school still need to apply formally through Barnet’s process, even when children will, in most cases, be entitled to a junior place.

The practical implication is that Year 3 transition is treated as a real admissions step, not an automatic administrative roll-over. Parents who assume it is automatic, and miss the application window, create avoidable risk for themselves.

For this school, Year 3 is the key entry point. Applications are coordinated by Barnet, and for September 2026 transfer into junior school, Barnet’s published dates are: application process opens 1 September 2025; on-time deadline 15 January 2026; offer day 16 April 2026; acceptance deadline 30 April 2026.

The school’s own Year 3 admissions page reinforces that children at the infant school generally progress, but parents must still submit the formal application by 15 January 2026. Tours are offered throughout the year and are positioned as part of the decision-making process, particularly for families joining from outside the federation.

A second admissions-related issue is the proposed change to the Published Admission Number. The federation sets out a proposal to reduce the junior school PAN from 120 to 90 for 2026/27, linked to anticipated demand and borough forecasts. If implemented, that could tighten competition for Year 3 places, and it could also change the “feel” of year groups, for example fewer forms of entry at junior phase.

FindMySchool users comparing options should use the Map Search tool to sanity-check travel time and day-to-day logistics, especially because Barnet junior transfer involves families balancing convenience against a longer list of potential schools.

The junior phase includes clear mechanisms for pupil voice and worry-sharing, which is often where wellbeing either becomes real or stays abstract. The ‘ask it basket’ approach provides a low-barrier route for pupils to raise concerns, and the school frames bullying as something that adults act on quickly when reported.

There is also visible resourcing around attendance and support. The staff list includes a Federation Welfare and Attendance Officer and a learning mentor role, plus safeguarding leadership. In practice, that typically translates into earlier identification of attendance patterns and quicker wraparound support when families hit a difficult patch.

Safeguarding culture is also framed as contextual, with the federation’s safeguarding policy explicitly referencing community risks such as online harms, and building pupil awareness through curriculum and staff training. This aligns well with a junior school age range where independence grows quickly, including online independence.

The enrichment offer is unusually detailed, and it splits into three strands: sport and squads, creative and performing arts, and STEM-style clubs. The club listings for 2025 to 2026 include Chess (before school), eAssistant Robo Club, eAssistant 3D Modelling Animation Club, Little Volcanoes Science Club, and Le Club des Petits Lapins French Club, alongside options such as Urban Table Tennis, Shogun Practical Karate, and Smartplay Brazilian Football and multi-sports.

The implication is choice with specificity. For pupils who are practical, hands-on learners, Robo Club and 3D modelling offer a different kind of challenge from classroom writing. For language-inclined pupils, a structured French club can add confidence and fluency. For families juggling logistics, before-school squads (such as cross country and upper-junior netball and girls’ football) give a way to fit sport into the week without late pickups.

Wraparound is a big part of daily life for many families. Breakfast club runs during term time from 7.30am, serving breakfast and offering a weekly structure of activities such as Team Games, Sensory Den, Mini Engineers, Yes Chef, and Gymnastics. That sort of deliberate programming matters, because it makes wraparound feel like an extension of the school day rather than a holding pen.

Sport is supported by facilities, not only clubs. The federation highlights an on-site swimming pool used weekly by pupils, and the school has worked with Swim Tank to renovate and upgrade the pool after a period out of use, with an ambition for wider community benefit as well. Swimming is also supported in staffing, with a named swimming instructor listed in the team information.

Finally, reading culture extends beyond lessons. The Accelerated Reader programme is framed as both a motivation tool and a way to pitch challenge at the right level, with pupils allowed both a structured programme book and free-choice reading alongside it.

School timings are clear: the junior school day starts at 8.40am with pupils expected in by 8.50am, and finishes at 3.20pm. Breakfast club runs from 7.30am during term time, which will matter to working families. After-school childcare is available through external providers on site, including provision advertised as running until 6.30pm.

Travel planning is also unusually documented. The school travel plan notes bus routes serving the area, including 460, 125, 82, 326 and 221, plus multiple entrances and on-site cycle and scooter parking (for example, Sheffield stands and scooter spaces). For families considering independent travel for older juniors, the travel plan also references a “Lone Traveller” form process, which suggests a structured approach to increasing independence safely.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual extras, such as uniform, trips and optional clubs or childcare, with details varying by year group and provider.

• Year 3 is a real admissions step. Even if your child is at the infant school, families are told they must apply formally via Barnet by 15 January 2026 for September 2026 entry. Missing the deadline creates avoidable risk.

• Published Admission Number change is in play. The federation describes a proposal to reduce the junior school PAN from 120 to 90 for 2026/27. That could affect availability and class structure.

• Structured teaching will suit many, but not all. The curriculum vision strongly emphasises explicit instruction, recall and low-stakes quizzing. For most pupils this supports retention; a minority who struggle with frequent retrieval and tight routines may need careful support and parent-school alignment.

• School dog is a plus for some, a concern for others. Zuki is integrated into school life to support confidence and reading motivation, but families who prefer no interaction need to use the opt-out route and be clear with staff early.

Moss Hall Junior School is a well-organised Barnet junior that combines strong Key Stage 2 outcomes with unusually clear curriculum thinking and practical wraparound detail. It suits families who want a structured approach to learning, strong reading culture, and a school day that can flex around working hours via breakfast and after-school provision. The main decision point is admissions planning for Year 3, particularly in light of the proposed reduction in PAN for 2026/27.