St Paul's CofE Primary School & Nursery

A small Church of England school in Tongham with a clear faith-centred vision and an unusually developed inclusion offer for its size. The language you keep seeing is courage, compassion and community, and it is backed up by practical provision such as the SEARCh Nurture Hub, animal assisted interventions, and a nurture farm.

The latest Ofsted inspection, completed in September 2023, judged the school Good overall and Good in every graded area, including early years.

Admission is competitive at the main school intake. In the most recent admissions data here, 96 applications were made for 30 offers for the Reception route, which is 3.2 applications per place.

St Paul’s positions itself as a church school with a simple organising idea: Learning in God’s Love, with courage, compassion and community as the stated core values. The faith element is not decorative. The school describes regular links with St Paul’s Church and weekly involvement from the vicar in collective worship, which sets a tone that will suit families who actively welcome a Christian framework in school life.

The pastoral story is grounded in routines and emotional literacy. Ofsted notes that pupils learn routines quickly and develop ways to manage emotions, and that pupils report feeling safe and secure. The emphasis on belonging also shows up in the way support is structured. The SEARCh Nurture Hub is framed as additional, targeted help that sits alongside mainstream classroom teaching rather than replacing it, with the explicit aim of building confidence and increasing successful time back in class.

Leadership context matters here. The headteacher, Tom Hilyard, joined in April 2022, and the school’s own governance profile places nurture and inclusion at the centre of his brief. That timing aligns with Ofsted’s note of leadership changes since the previous inspection, which helps explain why the school talks so much about strengthening provision and widening experiences beyond the classroom.

For infant and early primary settings, the headline measures many parents expect, such as Key Stage 2 outcomes and national ranking positions, are not the right lens. there are no published primary performance metrics to report.

A more useful indicator is curriculum quality and how well children are prepared for the next stage. Ofsted’s 2023 report describes a broad and ambitious curriculum, with important knowledge mapped clearly and built in small steps, particularly in areas such as mathematics and history. Early reading is a stated priority, with phonics described as organised and structured from the start of Reception, which is often the difference between children merely sounding out and children reading with increasing confidence.

One caveat to hold in mind is consistency. Ofsted identifies that in some subjects the planned curriculum is not delivered consistently enough, which can leave gaps in what pupils remember. For parents, that is less about individual lesson quality and more about whether teaching approaches are aligned across classes as the school grows.

The school website makes the curriculum unusually visible for a small primary, with subject pages spanning reading and phonics, writing, mathematics, and foundation subjects, alongside outdoor learning. In practice, the key strengths described in the inspection are structure and sequencing. When teaching is built as a progression of small, meaningful steps, pupils are more likely to retain knowledge and apply it later rather than relearn it each term.

Early years is a focal point. The inspection notes a welcoming and engaging early years environment, and highlights communication and language development alongside early mathematics. If you are choosing between nurseries and Reception settings, this is the sort of evidence that suggests children are likely to settle quickly and build the habits that make Year 1 less of a jump.

Inclusion sits inside teaching rather than around it. Ofsted describes pupils with special educational needs and disabilities as included in all aspects of school life, with needs identified quickly and tailored support used to help pupils access the same learning as others. The SEARCh Nurture Hub offer adds practical tools that translate into classroom readiness, such as sensory circuits, Zones of Regulation coaching, Lego Therapy, and targeted small group teaching.

The school is expanding its age range, with additional Key Stage 2 year groups planned to be added annually from September 2025, creating a clearer pathway for families who want continuity beyond the infant years. In the interim, families should pay close attention to how year group provision is structured at the point their child would move on, and what local options exist for junior transfer if required.

For nursery families, one point is non-negotiable. A nursery place does not guarantee a Reception place in the main school, and families still need to apply through the normal admissions route for Reception.

Reception admissions are coordinated by Surrey County Council. For September 2027 entry, Surrey’s published deadline for on time applications is 15 January 2027.

Demand is significant based on the provided admissions snapshot. 96 applications were made for 30 offers for the Reception route, and first preference demand exceeded first preference offers. For parents, the implication is simple: treat it as an oversubscribed school and plan visits and paperwork early, especially if you are moving house or relying on a particular address date.

Nursery admissions are handled differently. Surrey delegates nursery admissions to the governing body, and applications are made directly to the school. Places are term time only and offered as 15 or 30 hours, with admission possible from the term after a child turns two if places exist. Oversubscription is managed using published criteria including looked after children, exceptional medical or social needs, staff children, siblings, and then other children, with distance used as a tie breaker where needed.

If you are trying to judge your likelihood of admission, use the FindMySchool Map Search to check your home to school distance precisely, then sense check that against how competitive the intake appears in your year.

Pastoral care is treated as a daily practice rather than an add on. Ofsted notes that pupils learn to regulate emotions and that pupils trust staff to help with worries or disagreements, which is a strong marker of relational consistency. The SEARCh Nurture Hub adds another layer for children who need more structured help with social communication, resilience, and self esteem through ELSA sessions, nurture groups, and Zones of Regulation coaching.

The 2023 Ofsted inspection confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective.

St Paul’s extracurricular offer is distinctive because it blends mainstream clubs with nurture-led enrichment. For example, the school publishes after-school club options such as Forest School and Cooking for Year R to Year 3, described as free and run as half term blocks. The implication for families is that enrichment is not only sport and performance; it is also practical life skills and outdoor confidence building, which can be especially valuable for younger pupils who learn best through doing.

The nurture strand goes further than most small schools. Animal Assisted Interventions is a named element of the SEARCh offer, and the school also describes a nurture farm as part of its values-in-action work, linking care for animals to empathy and responsibility. For some children, especially those who find classroom demands intense, these kinds of interventions can be the difference between coping and enjoying school.

There are also practical facilities that support wider activity. The school notes a large hall and outdoor sports spaces including a multi use games area and sports fields, which helps broaden what can be offered across the year.

The core school day is clearly set out, with doors opening at 8:40 and the end of day handover at 3:15, and a stated weekly total of 32 hours 30 minutes.

Wraparound care is available on site. Breakfast club is listed as 7:30 to 8:45 and after school club as 3:15 to 6:00, both priced per session.

For visiting, the school publishes group tour dates across the autumn and early spring term, which typically aligns well with the Surrey application window.

• Competition for places. With 96 applications for 30 offers in the most recent admissions snapshot, you should assume a competitive intake and plan early.

• Nursery to Reception is not automatic. A nursery place does not guarantee a Reception place, so families should be ready to follow the normal Surrey coordinated application route as well.

• Curriculum consistency still matters. External review notes that in some subjects the planned curriculum is not delivered consistently enough, which can create gaps in knowledge over time.

• Faith life is present. Regular collective worship and church links are part of the school’s identity. Families seeking a wholly secular environment may prefer alternatives.

St Paul’s suits families who want a small local school with a clear Church of England identity and a serious approach to inclusion. The combination of structured early learning, targeted nurture support, and distinctive enrichment such as Forest School and animal assisted work will appeal to parents looking for both academic foundations and confident, emotionally secure children. Admission is the obstacle; families who value this blend of faith, nurture and practical learning should treat the timeline as early and competitive.