Ottershaw Christ Church Church of England Infant School Review 2026: A small, faith-led start with strong early years practice

As an infant school (Nursery to Year 2), this setting does not sit neatly in the familiar KS2 performance tables parents associate with Year 6, and does not include comparable attainment measures for this phase. Rather than over-interpreting limited metrics, it is more useful to focus on what external evaluation and curriculum detail tell you about day-to-day learning quality.

The strongest headline is early years: the most recent inspection judgement lists Early years provision as Outstanding. For families choosing Nursery or Reception, that is directly relevant, because it speaks to how well the setting supports language development, early number sense, and learning behaviours such as attention, independence, and perseverance.

Curriculum intent and structure are described clearly in the school’s published overview: core subjects are taught weekly as discrete disciplines, while topic work is used to connect learning across foundation subjects and the arts. In an infant context, that combination often works best when phonics, early writing, and mathematics are protected as daily priorities, and broader topics provide “purpose” for vocabulary, talk, and curiosity.

A practical detail parents often overlook is staffing continuity around early years. The school’s prospectus describes class staffing with teaching assistants, plus additional early years support in Nursery and Reception including a nursery nurse and teaching assistants. In a small school, that can be a meaningful lever for keeping routines calm and ensuring children who need extra prompting, or extra reassurance, get it early rather than later.

The key transition is not to Year 7, it is from Year 2 to Year 3. The school is explicit that children do need to apply for a Year 3 place to transfer to the junior school. For many families, the practical attraction is that the junior school is part of the same wider organisation and culture, with shared links and shared enrichment opportunities across sites.

If you are choosing Nursery or Reception, it is worth thinking three steps ahead: settling well at 3 or 4, building reading foundations by Year 1, and then managing the junior transfer application without surprises.

Reception entry is Local Authority coordinated, with the school’s admissions policy for 2026 to 2027 stating a published admission number of 60 for age 4+. The same document states that, for Reception in September 2026, applications must be returned to the Local Authority by 15 January 2026.

Oversubscription is a real feature here. In the most recent admissions, there were 127 applications for 60 offers for the primary entry route, with an oversubscribed status and 2.12. applications per place That is roughly 2.1 applications per place, which is enough to make criteria, sibling position, and timing meaningful in practice.

Open events are useful when places are competitive. The school published open mornings for entry in September 2026 (listed in autumn 2025), which suggests a typical pattern of tours and visits in October and early November for the following September intake. If you are looking beyond the September 2026 round, treat that as a timing guide and check the current calendar.

A practical tip that saves families time: use FindMySchool’s Map Search when shortlisting local options, then cross-check the Local Authority criteria and the school’s admissions policy before assuming a place is likely.

For infant-age children, pastoral care looks like predictable routines, quick communication with families, and well-trained staff who can identify needs early. The school’s published materials put significant emphasis on transition arrangements into Reception, including structured induction and phased starts, and that is usually a strong indicator of how seriously a school takes early emotional security.

The inspection judgements also point to a school where behaviour expectations are working particularly well, with Behaviour and attitudes and Personal development both judged Outstanding in the latest inspection summary. For many families, that translates into classrooms that feel calm, consistent, and safe for learning, especially for children who are easily overwhelmed.

For a small infant school, enrichment tends to work best when it is simple, frequent, and inclusive. The school’s clubs page highlights lunch clubs that are open to all children, including Arts and Crafts and Board Games, alongside OPAL sessions, with termly schedules published.

Wraparound care is also part of the wider offer. A breakfast and after-school club operates on the infant site for both infant and junior children, with a “walking bus” arrangement transferring junior children across the field path. Session times are published as 7:30am to 8:45am for breakfast club and 3:05pm to 5:25pm for after-school club. For working families, that detail can matter as much as any curriculum promise, because it determines whether the school is workable day-to-day.

The school publishes its weekly hours and day structure. Infant school hours are 8:45am to 3:15pm, with lunchtime 12:00pm to 1:00pm. Nursery sessions are listed as 9:00am to 12:00pm (morning) and 12:00pm to 3:00pm (afternoon).

Given the split-site arrangement with the junior school, expect some movement between sites for shared activities as children progress, and consider travel logistics for drop-off and pick-up alongside wraparound arrangements.

• Reception entry is competitive. With 127 applications for 60 offers in the latest, admission can be difficult without a strong priority reason such as sibling priority under the published criteria.

• Year 2 to Year 3 is not automatic. Children need to apply for a Year 3 place to transfer to the junior school, so families should understand that process early.

• Faith character is real. The school welcomes families of all faiths and none, but it is explicitly Church of England and asks parents to accept its Christian ethos.

• Wraparound care is externally run. Useful and clearly timetabled, but families may want to confirm booking arrangements and term-time-only constraints.

For families who want a local infant school with nursery provision, a clear Christian ethos that remains inclusive, and a strong early years track record, this is a sensible shortlist school. It suits children who will thrive with consistent routines and clear behaviour expectations, and families who value practical wraparound options. The main challenge is securing a place at Reception, so planning around deadlines and criteria is essential.