St Mary's Infants' School Review 2026, a small Church of England infant school with structured routines

As an infant school, the usual end of Key Stage 2 measures do not apply here, and no published performance figures are available for this school’s phase.

Instead, the best verified proxy for educational quality is the most recent inspection outcome and what it says about curriculum design and early reading. The June 2023 inspection confirms a broad and ambitious curriculum from Reception to Year 2, with reading placed at the centre of learning. Phonics begins as soon as children start, staff are trained in the adopted approach, and books are matched carefully to pupils’ developing reading knowledge.

If you are comparing nearby schools, it can help to use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tool to line up governance, inspection timelines, and phase coverage side by side, especially where published attainment data is limited for infant-only settings.

Early reading is the standout thread. The inspection evidence describes staff using assessment to identify pupils at risk of falling behind, then moving quickly to targeted keep-up support. The implication for parents is straightforward, children who need extra repetition in phonics are more likely to get it early, before gaps harden into reluctance.

Curriculum coherence also appears to be a strength. Leaders and subject specialists have mapped knowledge, skills and vocabulary carefully so children are prepared for Year 1. That kind of planning often shows up at home as pupils using more precise language, remembering key facts from earlier topics, and being able to connect new learning to what they already know.

The inspection also flags two useful improvement points that parents should take seriously because they affect day-to-day learning time. Sometimes activities are not introduced with the precision leaders expect, which can lead to pupils disengaging, and sometimes teachers do not check consistently whether all pupils are ready to move on. Those are not unusual challenges in infant settings, but they are worth asking about on a tour, particularly if your child needs tight scaffolding to stay focused.

As an infant-only school, the main transition is into Key Stage 2 elsewhere. St Mary’s Junior School is next door but is a separate school, and a separate application is required for Year 3 entry.

For families, the practical implication is that choosing this school is not a single decision that automatically carries you through to Year 6. It is sensible to read the junior school admissions criteria early, and to think about whether you want continuity on the same site, or whether another junior or primary option fits better.

Admissions are coordinated through Hertfordshire County Council rather than handled directly by the school.

For September 2026 Reception entry, the published county timeline shows the online application system opening on 03 November 2025, with the on-time deadline on 15 January 2026. National allocation day is 16 April 2026, and the acceptance deadline is 23 April 2026.

Demand for places is currently strong relative to offers in the provided admissions data, with 56 applications for 20 offers, which equates to 2.8 applications per place, and the school is marked oversubscribed. The main implication is that families should treat this as competitive, and should line up back-up preferences they would genuinely accept.

One detail that may affect future cohorts is planned intake size. The school’s published admissions policy notes a published admission number of 60 for 2025 to 2026, reducing to 30 from 2026 to 2027.

If you are weighing chances across multiple local schools, the FindMySchool Map Search can help you sanity-check proximity against oversubscription patterns and the specific admissions rules in play each year.

Safeguarding is a key consideration at infant age, and the inspection evidence is unambiguous. Ofsted states that safeguarding arrangements are effective, supported by regular staff training, vigilance, and work with external agencies where families need help.

Inclusion practice also looks purposeful. The inspection evidence says leaders understand individual needs well and provide teachers with practical strategies such as pre-teaching, detailed examples and individual support, with pupils with SEND progressing through the curriculum in line with peers. That combination tends to matter most for children whose learning needs are subtle but consequential, for example speech and language needs, attention regulation, or early literacy delay.

The enrichment offer is more specific than many infant schools manage. In the inspection evidence, clubs are described as running after school and sometimes during the day, with examples including gymnastics, cooking, art and eco club.

Music and performance appear to be a visible feature. The school choir is mentioned as having performed to a large crowd alongside professional musicians and singers, which is an unusually ambitious experience for this age range.

There are also named external providers referenced in the school’s staffing information, including Premier Education for sports coaching and iRock for music. For parents, the implication is that enrichment is not only reliant on generalist class teachers; there is at least some specialist input in sport and music that can broaden experiences for pupils who light up when learning is practical and performance-based.

The school day starts with classroom doors opening at 8.40am and an official start time of 8.45am. The day ends at 3.15pm.

Wraparound care is available via an external provider, with breakfast club running 7.45am to 8.50am and after-school provision running 3.10pm to 6.00pm on weekdays in term time. Provision is located on the neighbouring junior school site and is open to children from both schools.

Transport and access are usually straightforward for local families given the infant age range, but it is still worth checking walking routes and parking expectations for drop-off, particularly if you will also need to manage a second school run for siblings at another site.

• Oversubscription is real. The admissions data indicates 2.8 applications per place and an oversubscribed status. Families should plan preferences carefully and keep a realistic back-up option.

• Teaching consistency is a current improvement focus. The inspection evidence highlights that behaviour routines are not fully embedded in every classroom and that teachers do not always check readiness to move on. That can matter for children who need very explicit structure to stay engaged.

• Year 3 is a fresh application point. This is an infant-only school; moving to the junior school next door is not automatic and requires a separate application.

• Intake size is changing. Published admissions information indicates a reduction in the published admission number to 30 from 2026 to 2027, which may affect class organisation and place availability over time.

This is a faith-shaped infant school that places early reading, clear curriculum sequencing and enrichment opportunities at the centre of its offer, while keeping daily routines clear for young pupils. It suits families who want a small-scale setting with a Christian ethos, structured phonics, and access to clubs and music experiences that go beyond the basics. The main challenge is admission competition, plus the fact that Year 3 requires a new application rather than automatic progression.