Millfields First School Review 2026: Forest School at the centre of a first school journey

. The more useful lens is curriculum quality, early reading, and whether pupils build secure basics before they move into the middle school phase.

The strongest evidence here sits in early reading. Phonics is described as consistent from early in Reception, with staff identifying pupils at risk of falling behind and supporting them to catch up quickly, so pupils read with appropriate fluency. For parents, the implication is that reading is treated as a non-negotiable foundation, not something left to chance.

There is also a clear commitment to a broad curriculum, including personal development through trips, visitors, and outdoor learning that deepens classroom topics. This is where a first school can either shine or feel limited; the evidence suggests the curriculum here is designed to avoid that “small school bubble” problem by widening pupils’ experience early.

If you are comparing local schools on attainment measures that are available, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool can help you line up what is published for each setting, including how the next-step middle schools perform, which is often the more relevant decision point in a three-tier area.

Forest School is not presented as an optional extra. It is described as weekly provision across the age range from Reception to Year 4, with named staff leading and supporting it, and explicit intent around confidence, independence, communication, and risk assessment.

That structure matters. Weekly outdoor sessions allow pupils to revisit skills and routines, manage tools and materials safely, and develop language in a more natural context than a worksheet can offer. The school’s explanation also makes the curriculum link explicit, Forest School planning is tied to in-school topics, helping pupils connect knowledge across settings.

In the classroom, teaching is described as clear with generally well chosen resources and regular checking of understanding. Where this becomes a development point is assessment consistency, on occasions, misconceptions are not addressed, or pupils are not moved to more challenging work quickly enough. For families, the useful takeaway is not that teaching is weak, but that the school is working on tightening the reliability of “checking and moving on” across all classrooms.

Early years is described as a stimulating learning environment with many opportunities for communication and language, giving children a secure start. The practical implication is that children entering Reception, including those coming through pre-school, should find a setting that takes spoken language seriously, which then supports phonics, writing, and confidence in class discussion.

In Worcestershire’s three-tier areas, pupils typically move from first school to middle school at Year 5. In Bromsgrove, families usually focus on which middle school best fits their child’s needs and travel pattern, because that is the next major transition.

One important local detail is that Millfields is listed among first schools in Bromsgrove that do not have named feeder school links to middle schools. The implication is that progression is not “automatic” in the way it can be in some pyramid arrangements; families should treat the middle school application as a deliberate choice rather than a default pathway.

Local middle schools families commonly consider include Parkside Middle School and St John's Church of England Middle School Academy, alongside other Bromsgrove area middle schools depending on catchment and preference.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Admissions for Reception and first school entry are coordinated through Worcestershire County Council.

Demand looks real rather than theoretical. In the most recent available entry-route figures, there were 82 applications for 43 offers, which aligns with an oversubscribed picture overall. For parents, this means planning matters, especially if you are aiming for a particular middle school later on, because you may want continuity of travel and friendships.

Open events are described as typically taking place in October for families considering pre-school or Reception for the next academic year. Dates change annually, so it is sensible to treat “October” as the pattern and confirm specific events directly with the school each year.

Pre-school admissions are handled directly via the school, with a published policy and registration form, and the pre-school is described as operating within the main building with its own outdoor area and access to the Forest School space. For nursery fee details, use the school’s published pre-school information, and apply government-funded hours where eligible.

If you are trying to judge how realistic admission is from your address, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for checking your practical proximity to the school and for exploring alternative nearby first schools, especially in a town where small differences in travel time can shape the daily routine.

Behaviour expectations are described as clear and well understood, with pupils behaving politely and respectfully in class and little learning time lost to low-level disruption.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described as starting with accurate identification and moving into adaptations in class or personalised support, including extra input delivered by trained staff or external agencies where needed. The implication for families is that SEND support is not framed as an add-on; it is part of the expected operating model.

Safeguarding is described as effective. For parents, the practical test is still the same as anywhere: ask how concerns are logged, how staff are trained, and how the school communicates with families when patterns of worry emerge.

The school describes clubs that run across the year and change based on pupil interest. While the public page does not list a fixed timetable of named clubs, there are specific, structured programmes that function like clubs in practice, and they are unusually well-defined for this age.

Forest School is the clearest example, weekly, topic-linked, and supported by trained staff, with a clear set of skills it is designed to develop. The second is the “Children as Leaders” structure, which gives pupils formal roles such as Play Leaders, Eco Council, Sports Crew, and Digital Leaders. The implication is that extracurricular life is not just “things to do after school”, it is also baked into how pupils contribute during the school day.

Trips and visitors also matter here. The school’s programme is described as including a range of opportunities pupils value, and it references a recent residential trip to Malvern, which is a meaningful step for younger pupils building independence and confidence away from home.

The school day is built around a staggered start and finish, with doors open between 8:40am and 9:00am, and the day ending between 3:00pm and 3:15pm.

Wraparound care is provided through Juniper Club. Breakfast provision starts at 7:30am, and after-school provision runs until 5:45pm, with priced session options depending on the finish time you need.

On travel and drop-off, the school sits on residential roads, so it is worth thinking about walking routes and parking impact early, particularly if you are also planning ahead for a middle school commute. The school has previously reminded families about considerate parking and congestion around the local streets at peak times.

• Oversubscription pressure. With 82 applications for 43 offers in the latest available entry-route figures, planning and realistic backup preferences matter.

• Assessment consistency is a live improvement area. Teaching is generally clear and misconceptions are often addressed quickly, but there are occasions where this is not consistent and pupils are not moved on to more challenging work fast enough.

• Attendance for some vulnerable pupils is highlighted as an issue. The school tracks attendance and has improved it for some pupils, but some vulnerable pupils still miss valuable learning time.

• Three-tier transition needs active planning. In Bromsgrove, pupils typically move to middle school at Year 5, and this school is listed as not having named feeder links to Bromsgrove middle schools, so families should treat middle school choice as a distinct decision.

This is a well-organised first school that takes early reading seriously and uses outdoor learning as a core delivery method rather than a marketing line. Forest School and structured pupil leadership are the defining features, and both have clear developmental intent behind them.

Who it suits: families who want a grounded start to schooling, with routine, strong early reading, and lots of learning that happens through doing, particularly children who respond well to outdoor learning and responsibility. The main challenge is admission in an oversubscribed context, plus thinking ahead to the Year 5 middle school move.