Lenthall Infant and Nursery School Review 2026, small-school feel with a structured early years focus

As an infant and nursery school, the most meaningful “results” for parents are typically about readiness: how securely children learn to read, how confidently they talk about learning, and how well they manage classroom routines before moving on to junior provision.

Formal evaluation highlights a well organised curriculum from Nursery through Year 2, sequenced so knowledge builds over time. Reading is treated as central, with daily story time and an explicit push to build early confidence; pupils borrow from the school library, and phonics support is targeted for children who find recall harder.

Mathematics is described as practical and cumulative, beginning with nursery number work through rhyme, story, and song, then moving through hands-on problem solving in Reception and increasing complexity through Years 1 and 2.

Early reading is the clearest pillar. Phonics is taught through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, a systematic synthetic phonics programme, and the school describes this as its core approach. The practical implication for families is that reading is likely to feel structured and routine-based rather than ad hoc, with books matched to the sounds pupils know so that practice time stays aligned to taught content.

Curriculum leadership exists across subjects, but external evaluation also flags that some subject leaders are earlier in their leadership journey and need more support to carry out curriculum evaluation with confidence. For parents, that reads less as a classroom problem and more as a school improvement theme: the intent and sequencing are strong, but monitoring consistency is still being embedded.

Outdoor learning is given a named identity through Forest School, delivered by a specialist teacher, Mrs Sharon Priest, with all children accessing sessions on a rolling programme. Activities listed include tool use and fire lighting, framed around learning to manage risk sensibly and build confidence outdoors.

The main transition point is after Year 2. The school describes planned transition work with feeder settings and a calendar of transition days and events to support children moving into school life and between classes.

A practical clue about likely onward routes is that wraparound includes a delivery and collection service to and from Northfield Junior School and Stonelow Junior School. For many families, that kind of operational link signals common local pathways at the Year 2 to Year 3 handover, even when formal transition destinations vary by family preference and admissions outcomes.

Reception entry is coordinated through Derbyshire’s admissions process rather than being handled solely by the school. For September 2026 entry, Derbyshire’s published window states that applications could be made online from 10 November 2025, with a deadline at midnight on 15 January 2026; applications after that date are treated as late. Offers for primary places are issued on 16 April 2026.

The school’s own admissions information for Reception starters also references open evenings and tours with the headteacher that took place in October and November 2025 for the September 2026 intake. If you are reading this after those dates, the sensible interpretation is that the pattern is likely to repeat in autumn for the following year group, but exact timings should be confirmed directly via the school’s current admissions communications.

Demand data suggests competition for places. In the most recent admissions snapshot available here, there were 52 applications for 22 offers for the main entry route, which equates to about 2.36 applications per place. This is a clear signal that families should treat it as oversubscribed and plan preferences accordingly.

Nursery admissions operate differently because places and start points vary by age and eligibility. The school sets out multiple routes:

• Children aged 3 can start the term after their third birthday, with a main intake in September and additional places in January and April (subject to availability).

• Funded entitlement is referenced, with 30 hours (with a valid HMRC code) and 15 hours universal.

• Session times are stated for 30-hour places as 8:45am to 3:15pm, Monday to Friday, while 15-hour places are described as flexible by arrangement.

• Lunchtime sessions and meals are explicitly not included in funded hours and must be paid separately.

It also describes a 2-year-old room and notes that funded places may depend on family circumstances, with paid places available on enquiry.

Pastoral support is unusually explicit for an infant setting. The “Pastoral Pod” page describes a nurture group called The Nest, where identified pupils, referred to as “The Robins”, attend sessions three times weekly following the Derbyshire Nurture Group model. There is also Positive Play training referenced for staff supporting children needing intensive one-to-one nurture.

Peer support is built into playtime structures, with a buddy bench and Year 2 Kindness Ambassadors trained to help children who struggle to join in.

Early Help is positioned as a leadership responsibility, with the headteacher acting as the school’s Early Help Practitioner and a named family support role working alongside. For families navigating pressures outside school, that clarity about who coordinates support can make communication simpler.

One explicit official line worth knowing is that safeguarding arrangements are described as effective in the most recent inspection documentation.

For a school with very young pupils, extracurricular life tends to be about habits and participation rather than elite outcomes. The clearest evidence of variety here comes from named initiatives and structured clubs.

Global Green Gang is described as an after-school club focused on eco-friendly projects and improving outdoor learning spaces, with an emphasis on collaborating with the wider community.

Online safety has a child-friendly identity through i-Vengers, presented as a leadership concept linked to reporting worries and keeping the community safer online.

Active travel is treated as both practical and cultural. The school references Modeshift STARS accreditation at Approved level, including scooter pods for pupils and a stated commitment to sustainable travel activities.

Wraparound itself is not just supervision. The school describes themed after-school activities, including “Make it Monday” and “Fun Night Friday”, alongside outdoor play and creative sessions.

The school day is stated as 32.5 hours per week, with doors opening at 8:45am, registration at 9:00am, and a 3:15pm finish.

Wraparound options are clearly published:

• Free breakfast club window for Reception to Year 2, 8:15am to 8:45am

• Extended breakfast provision, 7:30am to 8:45am

• After-school club, 3:15pm to 6:00pm

There is also a collection and delivery link to Northfield Junior School and Stonelow Junior School, which may help families coordinating siblings across settings.

For term planning, the school publishes term dates and INSET information for the academic year, which helps families align childcare and holiday arrangements.

• Competition for places. With 52 applications for 22 offers in the most recent admissions snapshot, preference strategy matters, especially if you are relying on one school choice.

• Change still being embedded. The school is described as having introduced a number of changes in a short period, with the next step being to embed and evaluate impact consistently.

• Curriculum leadership depth. Some subject leaders are described as earlier in their leadership development and needing more training to evaluate curriculum and learning with confidence.

• Developing knowledge of faiths and cultures. Respect is promoted, but pupils’ understanding of different faiths and cultures is identified as an area for further development, which may matter to families prioritising cultural literacy early.

This is a small, organised infant and nursery school that leans into structure: phonics-first reading, carefully sequenced curriculum planning, and clear routines from the start of the day through to wraparound. It also takes family support seriously, with a named nurture group model and an explicit Early Help approach.

Who it suits: families who want a calm, values-led early years setting, who appreciate published wraparound options and who like the idea of outdoor learning through Forest School alongside a structured early reading programme. The main practical hurdle is admission demand at the main entry point.