Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School Review 2026: Small-school warmth, sharper curriculum ambition

For infant schools, there is less of the headline, league-table style attainment data that parents may recognise from older Key Stage 2 reporting. In practice, the most useful evidence tends to come from three places: the curriculum detail the school publishes, how reading is taught, and the inspection evaluation of how well pupils learn and remember.

Here, the external picture is reassuring. The September 2024 inspection states that children and pupils achieve well in early years and Key Stage 1, and it describes an improving quality of education since the previous inspection. It also points to reading having a high profile, with a clear phonics programme taught from Nursery through to Year 2, plus targeted support for pupils who find reading harder.

The nuance, and it is important, is that the same inspection identifies curriculum development work still underway in a small number of foundation subjects, and it flags inconsistency in how well assessment information is used to shape future teaching in some subjects. For parents, that translates into a balanced message: the core experience is secure, and the school is still tightening sequencing and progression in selected areas.

If you are comparing local options, FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages and Comparison Tool are the quickest way to see how nearby schools stack up on the measures that are published for their phase. For infant-only settings, inspections and admissions often tell you more than raw scores.

The strongest, most specific thread is early reading. The inspection highlights a phonics programme taught from Nursery, and it describes a reading culture where pupils have frequent opportunities to read and to be read to, supported by a broad range of books that are chosen to catch interest across different children.

In the early years, the school describes learning through exploration and interaction in Nursery, with a named class team. That matters because, at 3 and 4, the “how” often drives outcomes as much as the “what”: routines, language development, turn-taking, and early number sense are built through repeated, well-structured practice that still feels like play to children.

The inspection also gives a clear development priority that parents can ask about in tours: how the school is sequencing learning in the areas that were identified as less developed, including how early years learning connects into Year 1 and Year 2, and how teachers use what pupils already know to adjust teaching in a consistent way across subjects. A good tour question is not “Is your curriculum ambitious?”, it is “Can you show me how a topic builds from Nursery to Year 2 in this subject?”

Because the school finishes at Year 2, transition planning is a core part of what families need to get right. Pupils move on to junior schools for Year 3, and that application is coordinated through Hampshire County Council rather than through the infant school itself.

In practice, the right next step depends on your address and the junior schools available locally. The most practical approach is to shortlist likely juniors early, check each school’s oversubscription criteria, then use FindMySchoolMap Search to understand how close you are in real terms to the schools you are considering. For families who assume that “infant leads automatically to a particular junior”, it is worth double-checking the current arrangements, since application is still required.

Reception entry is competitive available here There were 111 applications for 60 offers, and the school is recorded as oversubscribed, with about 1.85 applications per place.

Reception applications for September 2026 follow the county timetable

The main round opens on 01 November 2025, the deadline is 15 January 2026, and offers are issued on 16 April 2026.

Nursery admissions are handled by the school, not the local authority

The school sets out that children can start Nursery in the September after their third birthday, and that eligibility-linked funded hours apply for many families, including the extended entitlement for those who meet the criteria. The practical implication is that Nursery is a separate admissions route, and families should not assume that a Nursery place guarantees a Reception place, since Reception allocations are still made through the county process.

Safeguarding is treated as a front-and-centre responsibility, with designated safeguarding leads listed and a clear expectation that anyone working with children follows safeguarding procedures. The inspection confirms safeguarding arrangements are effective.

On inclusion and additional needs, the school describes a mainstream approach with support shaped by individual need, and it lists Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) as part of its support structure. For parents of children who may need extra help, the practical next step is to ask how support is delivered at each stage (Nursery, Reception, Key Stage 1), how staff track progress, and how the handover into Year 3 works for children receiving SEN support.

Infant schools can sometimes feel limited outside the core day. Here, the offer looks more structured than many peers, partly because the school hosts several external programmes on site.

Example: music and performing arts are brought in through named providers. Evidence: the school partners with Rocksteady Music School for in-school rock and pop band lessons, and it promotes after-school ballet and musical theatre through YEM Theatre School. Implication: for children who gain confidence through performance and teamwork, these “in-school” formats can be easier to manage than off-site clubs, and they also reduce transport pressure for working parents.

Example: sport and clubs extend beyond the school’s own staffing. Evidence: the inspection records that the school hosts breakfast and after-school provision, and it notes sports clubs run by an external provider. Recent school communications also reference specific clubs such as gymnastics and archery for Year 1 and Year 2. Implication: pupils can access structured activities even at a younger age, which can help parents avoid overloading weekends with separate clubs.

For holiday periods and wraparound, the school signposts on-site childcare options through ACE Kids, including holiday camps.

The published school day runs from 8.45am to 3.15pm. Nursery session patterns and funded-hour structures are also described on the admissions information, which is useful if you are aligning childcare with working hours.

Wraparound care is available on site via breakfast and after-school provision, and sports clubs also run beyond the school day through external providers.

For travel, the setting is in the Cove area of Farnborough. Many families will be doing short local journeys at this age; if you are considering rail, Farnborough (Main) and Farnborough North are the town’s stations and can be part of the travel plan for commuting parents.

** With 111 Reception applications for 60 offers in the most recent figures provided here, admission can be the constraint, especially for families relying on a specific outcome.

• Infant-only structure. Pupils leave after Year 2, so you will be doing another formal application for Year 3. It is worth planning this early so transition feels smooth rather than rushed.

• Curriculum sequencing still being tightened in some areas. The September 2024 inspection flags that a small number of foundation subjects, and some early years areas, need clearer sequencing and stronger links into Key Stage 1, plus more consistent use of assessment information to adapt teaching.

• Nursery is not an automatic pipeline into Reception. Nursery admissions are managed by the school, but Reception places are allocated via the county process, so families should treat them as related but separate steps.

Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School offers a reassuring early-years foundation: strong attention to relationships, clear routines, and an improving quality of education, with reading a clear strength. The setting will suit families who want a smaller start to schooling, value wraparound options, and are comfortable planning ahead for the Year 3 transfer. The main hurdle is admission, and the main question to probe on a visit is how curriculum sequencing is being strengthened in the subjects identified for improvement.