Wallisdean Infant School Review 2026: Strong early years, clear learning habits, and a federation pathway to Year 6

Because this is an infant school, families should not expect the same public examination story you would see for a junior or primary school that runs to Year 6. There is no Key Stage 2 testing here, so the most informative public evidence is inspection, curriculum design, reading and phonics implementation, and how well children are prepared for Year 3.

The latest Ofsted inspection (4 and 5 February 2025) graded quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management as Good, with early years provision graded Outstanding. Ofsted no longer issues an overall effectiveness grade for state-funded schools inspected from September 2024, so the area grades are the headline outcome parents should use.

Reading and spoken language are positioned as core priorities. The inspection report notes a phonics programme starting from Reception, and describes strengthened support for pupils who need additional help, with most pupils now securing the phonics knowledge needed to read unfamiliar words. For parents, that matters because early decoding skill is one of the best leading indicators for later attainment, and it also reduces pressure on home reading becoming a daily struggle.

The report also points to two improvement areas that are worth taking seriously because they are practical, not cosmetic. First, in a few subjects, the “component knowledge” pupils must learn is described as too broad and not sufficiently clear, which can lead to inconsistent sequencing. Second, teachers’ subject and pedagogical knowledge is not described as consistently strong in all subjects for deepening and securing long-term learning, so sometimes tasks do not help pupils remember what they need for the next step. In an infant school, this usually shows up as uneven progression between classes or topics rather than dramatic underperformance, but it is still relevant if your child benefits from very explicit structure.

The most convincing aspect of teaching here is how the school describes sequencing and routine, especially for early language and reading. The early years focus includes deliberate vocabulary building and structured phonics teaching from Reception, alongside children spending significant time in play-based learning that is designed around development goals rather than unstructured free play.

The “Learning Power Words” model functions as a teaching tool as well as a behaviour framework. When the school breaks each word into small “bricks” for each age range, it effectively creates a progression model for learning behaviours. That can be helpful for children who need explicit language for persistence, self-regulation, or independence, because staff can refer to a shared set of expectations without constant negotiation.

The federation model also implies professional collaboration across settings. Staff are described as working jointly across the federation, and the leadership structure includes shared inclusion leadership and SENDCo roles across infant and junior. In practice, that typically supports smoother handovers, consistent adaptations, and less reinvention of support plans when children move from Year 2 into Year 3.

For families who want to understand the “feel” of lessons, the inspection’s description of teaching practice is useful. It highlights examples of teachers routinely checking understanding and using thoughtful activities to deepen learning, and it also makes clear where staff development is still needed so that learning is consistently remembered across subjects. Taken together, the picture is of a school that is strong on early years foundations and routines, with some curriculum and pedagogy refinement still in progress for the broader foundation subjects.

Most pupils transfer into the linked junior school on the same site, Wallisdean Junior School, which gives continuity of setting and leadership. The local authority lists the junior school as a linked school for admissions purposes, and the infant admissions policy explicitly references the linked junior school in its sibling priority criteria.

However, “linked” does not mean automatic. Families still need to apply for Year 3 (infant to junior transfer) through the local authority process. For September 2026 entry, the published key dates for Year R and Year 3 followed the same window: applications opened on 01 November 2025, the deadline was 15 January 2026, and the notification date was 16 April 2026. That pattern is typically consistent year to year, so families planning longer term should assume an early November opening and a mid-January deadline, then confirm the exact dates each autumn.

For children who move on-site into the junior school, the benefit is reduced transition friction. Class-to-class expectations and safeguarding leadership are aligned across the federation, and the shared ethos language helps children carry routines forward rather than starting again in a new culture.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Admission for Reception is coordinated through Hampshire County Council. The school’s own joining information directs families to apply via Hampshire Admissions for Year R, and the local authority also publishes the PAN and admissions policy links.

Entry points and PAN

For September 2026 entry, the published admission number for Reception is 60. If applications are below PAN, all applicants can be offered places. When oversubscribed, the school uses the local authority’s criteria, which include looked-after and previously looked-after children, exceptional medical or social need (with professional evidence), children of staff (under defined conditions), and then catchment and sibling priorities, with distance used as a tie-break where needed.

How competitive is it

The admissions demand data indicates oversubscription: 68 applications for 34 offers. That is around 2 applicants per place, which is enough to make distance, catchment, and priority criteria decisive. Because the furthest distance at which a place was offered figure is not available for this school, parents should avoid relying on informal estimates. The practical approach is to use the FindMySchool Map Search to check your address against the catchment and then validate it using the local authority catchment finder and the school’s admissions policy.

Dates and deadlines

As of 01 February 2026, the on-time deadline for September 2026 Reception entry has already passed (15 January 2026). Offers for on-time applicants are scheduled for 16 April 2026. For future years, the county’s published dates show a consistent structure: applications open in early November, close mid-January, and offers follow in April.

Nursery admission

Nursery admissions are not handled through the infant admissions policy. The federation describes its pre-school as serving children aged 3+, and the day structure is clearly set out, but families should follow the pre-school route directly for place availability and the published fee and funding approach.

Pastoral work at infant level tends to be inseparable from routines and behaviour systems, and the evidence here is specific rather than generic. Pupils are described as behaving well, understanding why rules matter, and being able to remind one another of expectations during breaktimes. That is a strong indicator of consistency, because it suggests behaviour is not dependent on a single adult being present.

The wellbeing offer includes regular sessions that help pupils understand how physical activity supports mental wellbeing, alongside wider support through well-chosen events and resources. The federation calendar also shows parent-facing workshops on topics such as supporting childhood anxiety, which signals that the school expects to work with families as partners rather than treating wellbeing as purely an in-school matter.

Safeguarding leadership is clearly mapped on the staff page, with the executive headteacher named as DSL, alongside deputy DSLs spanning the federation. Inspectors stated that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

For infant-age children, the strongest extracurricular programmes are usually those that build habits and confidence rather than specialist performance outcomes, and the school’s named initiatives fit that pattern.

The Daily Mile is embedded as a regular routine across the federation, run three times a week, with the school describing improvements in stamina, energy levels, and confidence, and stressing inclusivity because it is not treated as a race. The practical implication is that physical activity is normalised, not reserved for PE lessons or “sporty” children.

The early years strand includes woodland wellie walks, used both in nursery and as a wider feature of how children learn about the natural world. This is the kind of simple, repeatable practice that can build vocabulary and curiosity while also supporting regulation and attention.

After-school and enrichment clubs are described as being shared across infant and junior, with details published each half term. The school also names specific clubs, which helps parents gauge the balance between creative, pastoral, and community-focused options:

• Art Club, described as meeting after school and including projects such as designing and building bug hotels.

• Mini Military, a free club for children from service families, designed as a peer space with shared experiences, with activities including crafts, board games, sports and team-building games.

• Southern Karate Association sessions for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils on Tuesdays after school, run on a pay-as-you-go basis at £6 per lesson.

For families weighing childcare logistics, the federation’s wraparound offer is unusually specific. Breakfast club runs from 7.30am with a breakfast option, and after-school club runs to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and to 5.00pm on Fridays, with published session prices and clear booking rules.

The infant school day runs 8.45am to 3.15pm, with a clear timetable for registration, lesson blocks, break, and lunch. Doors close at 8.55am, and late arrivals are managed via the school office so attendance can be recorded.

Wraparound is available for families who need it. Breakfast club starts at 7.30am (£6 with breakfast; £4 without breakfast from 8.15am). After-school club runs from the end of the school day to 4.30pm (£6) or to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday (£11), and to 5.00pm on Fridays (£11).

Travel logistics are worth planning. The school notes traffic congestion around drop-off and pick-up, and allows bikes and scooters which are stored in designated areas, with the expectation they are not ridden on site. For rail travel, Fareham railway station is the key local hub, with additional local train stations at Portchester and Swanwick mentioned by the local authority area tourism guidance.

• Admission is competitive. The most recent admissions results shows 68 applications for 34 offers, around 2 applicants per place. If you are outside priority criteria, plan on needing a strong distance position and have realistic alternatives in your list.

• Year 3 still requires an application. Even with a linked junior school on site, families must apply through the local authority transfer process. For September 2026 entry, the published deadline was 15 January 2026, with offers due 16 April 2026. Treat early November to mid-January as the typical annual window, then confirm each year.

• Curriculum refinement is part of the current story. The latest inspection highlights that, in a few subjects, teachers need clearer guidance on what pupils must remember and when, and staff development is needed so tasks more reliably secure long-term learning. This will matter most if your child needs very explicit sequencing to thrive.

• Childcare is available, but it is paid for. Breakfast and after-school clubs are clearly priced and structured, which is helpful for planning, but families should factor these costs into weekly budgeting if they will be used frequently.

Wallisdean Infant School stands out for early years strength, a consistent behaviour and learning vocabulary, and the practical advantages of federation leadership alongside an on-site pre-school and a linked junior school. The day is structured, routines are explicit, and the school puts real emphasis on language, early reading, and learning habits.

Best suited to families who want a calm, rules-led infant setting with strong early years and clear childcare options, and who are prepared to engage actively with admissions planning. The limiting factor is entry, with demand outstripping places in the most recent admissions results, and a local authority process that rewards priority criteria and distance.