Sun Hill Infant and Preschool Review 2026: An arts-led infant school with a new on-site preschool

Because pupils leave at the end of Year 2, there is no Key Stage 2 outcome set attached to the school in the way parents may expect when comparing full primaries. What you can rely on instead is the most recent inspection evidence and the school’s published curriculum intent.

The latest Ofsted inspection (14 to 15 September 2021) graded the school Good overall, with Outstanding judgements for Behaviour and attitudes and for Personal development, plus Good for Quality of education, Leadership and management, and Early years provision.

Two curriculum signals stand out in the report and in the school’s own documentation. Reading is treated as a priority from the start of early years, and art and design is described as a particular strength, with strong subject knowledge and clear progression across early years and Key Stage 1.

The curriculum framing is distinctive for an infant school because it gives the visual arts a central role, then links discrete subjects back to wider “drivers” and enrichment. The school’s published curriculum diagram also references educational research, cognition, and the impact of trauma and attachment, which suggests teaching practice is expected to be reflective rather than purely routine.

In day-to-day terms, the inspection report describes staff teaching phonics skilfully, checking pupils’ reading as they go, and putting bespoke support in place quickly when children need extra help. It also highlights strong progress across mathematics, writing, and the wider curriculum, alongside explicit teaching around equality, tolerance, and respect as part of personal development.

For parents, the practical implication is that this is a setting likely to suit children who respond well to clear routines and adult language that is consistent across classrooms, particularly around behaviour, independence, and learning habits. The trade-off is that, as with many infant schools, curriculum breadth is expressed through themes, enrichment, and enrichment clubs rather than through specialist facilities you might see in a larger primary.

Most families will be thinking ahead to Year 3. The local authority lists Sun Hill Junior School as a linked school, which can matter because some admissions arrangements give priority where a child currently attends a linked feeder (parents should always check the current policy wording for the year they are applying).

For Reception starters, it is also worth understanding how the on-site preschool relates to later Reception transition. The school describes the preschool as being able to support children into Reception when school-age, and governing-board minutes describe an induction pattern that includes stay-and-play sessions plus an additional session without a grown up.

If your child is likely to move on locally, build your shortlist early and use FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools to look at nearby junior and primary options side by side, including admissions pressures where they are published.

Admissions for Reception are coordinated by Hampshire County Council, and the school’s own admissions policy document states the local authority is the admission authority for the main round.

Demand looks real rather than theoretical. In the latest published admissions figures used here, the school was oversubscribed for Reception, with 47 applications and 30 offers, which is about 1.57 applications per place.

For September 2026 entry (Year R), Hampshire’s published main-round timeline is:

• Applications open: 01 November 2025

• Deadline: 15 January 2026

• National offer day: 16 April 2026

Open events can shift year to year, but the local pattern strongly suggests autumn open mornings. For example, an open morning was advertised for early October (Thursday 09 October, 09:15 to 11:15) in the 2025 cycle. Treat this as a timing indicator rather than a promise, and check the school’s current admissions page for up-to-date arrangements.

If you are trying to judge realistic chances, use FindMySchoolMap Search to check proximity, then cross-check how the local authority applies tie-break criteria in the current published policy for your application year.

Pastoral support is described with named roles, which is helpful at this age. The school lists a Designated Safeguarding Lead and deputy leads, plus a named Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator, giving clarity on who holds statutory responsibilities.

There is also a clearly described emotional literacy offer. The school identifies an Emotional Health Lead who liaises with staff and other professionals, and describes targeted, short-term Emotional Literacy Support Assistant work, including Therapeutic Story Writing and Story Links as part of the wider pastoral toolkit.

From a safeguarding perspective, the most recent inspection states safeguarding arrangements are effective, and describes appropriate recruitment checks and staff expertise in safeguarding.

Enrichment is structured rather than left to ad hoc clubs. A Key Stage 1 enrichment model runs on Friday afternoons, with pupils choosing between Creator, Coder, Challenger, or Trailblazer pathways. The example given publicly is Creators Club work inspired by artist Yayoi Kusama, which is a good indicator of how art is treated as knowledge-rich rather than just “making things”.

The school also publishes specific club examples. Creators Club has included learning about Kente cloth and weaving techniques, linking cultural knowledge to practical skills.

Outdoor learning is not presented as a one-off trip culture. The inspection report references outdoor learning opportunities including pond club and activities such as toasting marshmallows around a fire. That matters because it signals planned provision rather than optional extras that only some pupils access.

Community events appear to be part of the rhythm of the year, with examples such as a colour run and themed events referenced in school updates.

Published school-day timings on the school site indicate a Monday to Friday day running from 08:40 to 15:20.

Wraparound care is worth checking carefully because arrangements can sit across the infant and junior sites. The linked junior school describes a Sunrise and Sunset Club that is open to full-time children attending both schools, with after-school running until 18:00 and infant children collected and taken over to the junior hall. Costs are published there, so families should confirm the most current terms directly before relying on them.

For the on-site preschool, published hours are 08:50 to 15:15 during term time, following Hampshire term dates, and funded-hours eligibility is explicitly referenced. For preschool pricing, the school directs families to its own pages rather than relying on a single figure.

• Infant-only structure. Children leave after Year 2, so you will need a Year 3 plan early. A linked junior option is helpful, but it is not the same as an automatic transfer.

• Oversubscription pressure. Published admissions figures show more applications than offers, so it is sensible to name realistic alternatives on the local authority form, not just a single preferred school.

• Curriculum refinement note. The most recent inspection highlights that curriculum plans in early years and in a minority of subjects were still being refined at the time, so parents who care about sequencing may want to ask how this has progressed since 2021.

• Wraparound logistics. After-school care appears to involve movement between infant and junior sites for some provision, which can be perfect for working families, but it is worth confirming handover arrangements and staffing before you commit.

A small, values-led infant school where behaviour, personal development, and the arts sit near the centre of the experience. It is best suited to families who want a warm, structured setting for ages 3 to 7, including the option of an on-site preschool that feeds naturally into Reception. The main hurdle is admissions competitiveness, so planning a strong shortlist alongside your first choice is the pragmatic move.