South Green Infant School Review 2026: A values-led infant and nursery with a structured start to learning

As an infant and nursery school (ending in Year 2), there is no published Key Stage 2 outcomes profile for families to compare in the usual way. Instead, academic quality shows up through curriculum coherence, early reading, and how securely pupils are building the fundamentals needed for junior school.

The most recent inspection confirms the school continues to be Good, and describes high expectations and strong achievement for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For parents, that matters because early gaps in reading and number sense are hard to close later; a school that is explicit about ambition for all pupils is usually a safer bet for long-term confidence.

There is one constructive caveat worth taking seriously. Some subjects beyond English and mathematics are still being refined so that the essential knowledge pupils should learn is consistently identified and sequenced. In practical terms, this is unlikely to derail a child’s overall progress in the infant years, but it may matter to families who prioritise a very tightly mapped foundation curriculum across every subject area.

Reading is treated as a priority from Nursery onwards, with a structured phonics pathway that begins with early sound awareness and builds through the phases as children move into Reception and Key Stage 1. The prospectus names Rocket Phonics as the programme, with reading books linked to phonics phases so children practise with texts that match what they have been taught. The inspection report aligns with that picture, noting staff training and a consistent approach, plus targeted support for children who fall behind so they catch up quickly.

Mathematics is described in mastery terms, with an emphasis on concrete, pictorial, then abstract understanding, and pupils explaining their methods rather than only producing answers. The prospectus also references Mastering Number as an intervention to strengthen fluency in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, which will appeal to parents who want arithmetic confidence built early rather than left to chance.

The broader curriculum is intentionally vocabulary-rich. The prospectus explains that pupils “read like a geographer, historian, scientist” and “write like a mathematician, historian, artist”, which is a helpful shorthand for families trying to understand how the school avoids a narrow English and maths focus while still keeping priorities clear. In early years, that sits alongside the continuous provision approach, where children re-enact events and ideas through play, from the Great Fire of London to the first moon landing, as a way of consolidating language and concepts.

Because the school finishes at the end of Year 2, the key transition is into Year 3 at a junior or primary school. Families should plan for that early, since junior transfer is a separate application process within Essex County Council’s coordinated system.

For many families, the natural next step will be the local junior school, particularly where sibling links and proximity criteria apply across the infant and junior sites. The school’s own admissions information and prospectus make repeated reference to a priority admissions area and sibling links that include the junior school, which signals an intended pathway even though places are not automatic.

For the 2026 to 2027 junior transfer round in Essex, the published county admissions arrangements set a closing date of 15 January 2026, with offers made on 16 April 2026. If your child is in Year 2 now, it is worth treating that deadline with the same seriousness as Reception entry, especially if you are balancing sibling logistics across sites.

Reception entry is handled through Essex County Council rather than directly through the school. The school’s admissions page also distinguishes clearly between the normal round and mid-year applications; mid-year requests are made directly to the school, and are dependent on space in the relevant year group.

For September 2026 entry to Reception, the school’s dedicated admissions page states that applications open on 4 November 2025 and close on 15 January 2026. It also explains that applicants who applied online can view allocations from 16 April 2026. This is exactly the kind of detail parents should screenshot and calendar early, because late applications reduce the likelihood of getting a preferred school.

Competition is real rather than theoretical. In the most recent published admissions snapshot available here, there were 88 applications for 39 offers in the relevant round, which is a demand level that typically leaves little room for error on address details and preferences. )

A final point that matters for nursery families, there is no guarantee of a Reception place for children attending the nursery. That is common in state settings and it is best treated as a planning constraint rather than a surprise.

Pastoral work is embedded in routine rather than delivered as occasional initiatives. The inspection evidence is clear on pupil safety and wellbeing; pupils feel safe, relationships are warm, and the day runs with calm expectations.

The prospectus describes an approach that supports children to self-regulate, and it flags Trauma Perceptive Practice (TPP) training for staff, linked to ideas such as belonging and connection. That will resonate with parents of younger children who need predictable adult responses, especially around the jump from nursery routines into full-time school expectations.

Safeguarding is treated as a strength. Ofsted confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

In the infant years, enrichment only works if it is concrete and age-appropriate. Here, extracurricular and enrichment are tied to movement, performance, and real-world experiences.

The inspection report notes clubs such as gymnastics and multi-sport, plus trips and visits including a local petting zoo and theatre visits, with an explicit emphasis on removing barriers to participation. The school also offers a set of before-school activity clubs through external providers, including a Breakfast Dance Club, First Kick Football, and a Gymnastics Club. These will appeal to parents who want an active start to the day, particularly if mornings at home are pressured.

Curriculum enrichment is also spelled out in unusually specific terms in the prospectus. Children explore instruments including percussion and African drums, and science is supported by enquiry areas and a Science Quality Mark, with eco-warriors involved in recycling and biodiversity work. The same document describes gardening and habitats work within the grounds, which is exactly the sort of grounded learning that helps younger children connect vocabulary to experience.

Finally, parental community support appears well established through the PTA, Friends of South Green Schools, which describes funding for projects ranging from reading corners and furniture to playground resurfacing and a climbing frame.

The school day runs from 8.40am to 3.10pm, with children welcomed in from 8.30am. Assemblies for Year 1 and Year 2 are scheduled from 10.30am on weekdays, with celebration assembly on Fridays.

Wraparound care exists, but it is split across sites. Breakfast Club operates at the junior school site from 7.30am to 8.40am, with children escorted to the infant school for the start of the day; an After School Club is also listed as operating from the infant school. Parents will want to confirm current pick-up times directly, since they are not published on that page.

Lunch logistics are also worth understanding early. Every child in Reception to Year 2 is entitled to a free school lunch, and the prospectus explains that lunches are ordered from the junior school and need selecting a week in advance via an online system.

• Oversubscription is a lived reality. Demand exceeds places in the normal round, so correct information on your application, and using all available preferences, matters.

• Nursery does not guarantee Reception. Families often assume continuity; here it is explicitly not guaranteed, so plan as if you may need a second option.

• Curriculum sequencing is still being tightened in some subjects. English, maths and early reading look highly structured; a small number of other subjects are still being refined so that key knowledge is consistently specified and taught.

• Lunch ordering needs forward planning. If you prefer day-by-day flexibility, the one-week ordering lead time may feel restrictive, particularly around changing routines and picky eating phases.

This is a settled, routines-first infant and nursery with a clear sense of what matters at ages 3 to 7: early reading, number fluency, language development, and a culture of kindness that is reinforced through real responsibilities. It suits families who want structure without harshness, and who value a strong early years foundation with purposeful play and clear phonics.

The main challenge is admission rather than the educational offer. Families who are organised about deadlines, realistic about competition, and comfortable planning ahead for junior transfer are the best fit.