The Mead Infant and Nursery School Review 2026: Three-form entry infants with a specialist centre for deaf children

For an infant school, the usual end-of-primary headline measures (Key Stage 2 tests in Year 6) do not apply, and you should not expect the same published results that you might see for a primary school covering Reception to Year 6. The most relevant public evidence comes from inspection detail and from how the school describes its curriculum priorities.

The 2021 inspection profile is nuanced. Quality of education was judged Good, with Good judgements also in behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision. Put simply, the core learning experience and the way children conduct themselves were seen as strengths at that point in time. The limiting factor was leadership and management, which was judged Inadequate and pulled the overall effectiveness grade down.

The practical implication for parents is to separate two questions when evaluating the school.

1. Is the early education experience likely to be warm, structured, and effective for reading, language and number? The evidence points to many positives here.

2. Are safeguarding systems, oversight, and follow-through reliably strong now? This is the area to probe carefully because it is the kind of weakness that can sit behind an overall Inadequate judgement even when classroom practice feels positive.

If you are comparing local options, use FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages and Comparison Tool to line up infant and primary schools by what is published for their phase, and to keep track of inspection timelines and governance changes in one place.

The school’s curriculum story is, as expected for ages 3 to 7, built around early language, early reading, and strong routines that help children manage feelings and behaviour as they move from Nursery through Reception into Key Stage 1. The published inspection commentary highlights that early years children are highly engaged in playing and learning, and that a phonics programme was introduced with the aim of ensuring all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, become successful readers by the end of Year 1.

For parents, the implication is straightforward. In infant education, progress tends to hinge on the reliability of the basics: phonics consistency, well-chosen books that match taught sounds, and early identification of children who need extra support. The inspection narrative describes a model where those elements were actively being tightened, including catch-up support for pupils who fall behind in reading.

Inclusion is not a side note here. The school describes both special educational needs support and a specialist provision for deaf children. The inspection also notes that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, including those in the specialist resourced provision for deaf children, are included fully in school life and are taught well with expert support. This matters because the best infant settings do not rely on withdrawal alone. They adapt classroom routines and teaching so children can participate meaningfully alongside peers.

Because the school ends at Year 2, transition happens earlier than many families expect. Children typically move on to junior school for Year 3, and the school shares a large playing field with its feeder school, Auriol Junior School, on an adjoining site. That proximity can make transition calmer for many children because the geography is familiar and relationships between staff teams can be easier to maintain.

Nursery families should also note a second transition point. The school states clearly that there is no automatic transfer from Nursery to Reception, and that families must apply through Surrey County Council for a Reception place at the relevant time. In practice, that means you should treat Nursery as a strong introduction to school routines, but not as a guaranteed pathway to a Reception place.

Demand looks strong. For Reception admissions there were 132 applications for 72 offers, and the school is described as oversubscribed, with about 1.83 applications per place. Competition for places is therefore a real factor for families planning ahead.

Reception applications for September 2026 are made through Surrey County Council’s coordinated admissions process, not directly to the school. For Surrey applicants, the application window opens on 3 November 2025 and the closing date is 15 January 2026. Offers are communicated on 16 April 2026 for Surrey online applicants, with written notifications also dated 16 April 2026 for paper applicants.

Nursery admissions are managed by the school, and the school publishes a separate nursery admissions pathway. Children are eligible to join nursery in the September after their third birthday, and the school states it offers both 15-hour and 30-hour places. For the September 2026 nursery intake, the school specifies the eligible birth date window on its admissions page.

Wellbeing in infant settings is inseparable from behaviour routines and adult consistency. The inspection commentary describes a calm and orderly environment, with early years work on managing feelings and behaviour that continues into Years 1 and 2. The school also publishes wellbeing materials and PSHE coverage that includes safety themes such as road, water and online safety, which is typical of a school aiming to make safeguarding learning age-appropriate rather than fear-based.

The crucial caveat is that, at the time of the last published inspection, safeguarding arrangements were found not to be effective. Parents considering the school should treat current safeguarding practice as a key line of enquiry during any visit or meeting: ask how concerns are logged, escalated, audited, and reviewed by governance, and what has changed since that inspection period.

Extracurricular options are more structured than many families expect for a 3 to 7 setting, and the school provides a published clubs menu. Examples include Chess Club for Year 2, French Club for Reception to Year 2, Book Club for Year 2 (invite only), Girls Only Football for Years 1 and 2, Spanish Club for Reception to Year 2, and Ukulele.

There are also signs of enrichment through music and performance. The school has published news items referencing Rocksteady concerts and participation in a local schools music festival, which suggests performance opportunities beyond classroom music lessons. For some children, particularly those who are shy or still developing language confidence, structured performance in a supportive infant environment can be a genuine confidence-builder, not a bolt-on.

Outdoor space is a practical strength. Two playgrounds plus access to a large playing field shared with the adjoining junior school give more scope for physical play and structured sport than many infant sites can offer.

Start and finish times vary by phase, including separate timings for nursery and the main school. The school publishes a clear set of daily times, with gates locked at 9.00 and 3.15, and a daytime entrance route via Cuddington Avenue for late arrivals.

Wraparound care is available via a third-party provider running breakfast and after-school provision on site. For current session availability and charges, families should check directly with the provider.

Driving and parking need attention. The school has issued repeated reminders that parking is not permitted on Cudas Close or Cuddington Avenue during drop-off and pick-up times, and restrictions are actively highlighted to keep families safe.

• Inspection trajectory and safeguarding focus. Overall effectiveness was judged Inadequate in November 2021, with leadership and management also judged Inadequate, and safeguarding arrangements found not to be effective at that time. This does not automatically describe the school today, but it does mean parents should ask direct questions about what has changed and how it is monitored.

• Oversubscription pressure. Reception demand looks strong, with 132 applications for 72 offers in the provided admissions results. This can make planning difficult for families who need certainty.

• No automatic Nursery to Reception transfer. Nursery can be an excellent introduction to routines, but it is not a guaranteed route into Reception, and families must apply through the local authority process.

• Early transition at age 7. Children leave after Year 2 and move to junior school for Year 3, so you are choosing an early-years pathway rather than a full primary journey. The adjoining relationship with Auriol Junior School may help, but it is still a transition to plan for.

The Mead is an infant and nursery setting with meaningful strengths: a three-form structure, substantial early years capacity, and specialist expertise through its centre for deaf children. The classroom experience described in public evidence points to positive learning and behaviour foundations, particularly in early reading and inclusion.

Best suited to families who want a well-resourced infant environment with specialist inclusion baked in, and who are prepared to do careful due diligence on safeguarding and leadership follow-through as part of their decision.