Crookham Church of England Aided Infant School Review 2026: A values-led infant school with strong early reading

For an infant school, you should not expect the same published outcome tables you see for junior or primary schools. There is no Key Stage 2 data because pupils leave at the end of Year 2, so academic evaluation relies more on curriculum quality, early reading, and how well children are prepared for Year 3.

Here, the most useful “results” evidence is the way the curriculum and early years provision are described in official review. The February 2024 inspection notes that children in Reception get off to a strong start, with careful evaluation of learning and productive opportunities to build number knowledge, sounds, words, and communication skills. Early reading is also flagged as a clear priority, with a consistent approach to phonics and timely support for pupils who need extra help.

It is also worth being clear about what still needs attention. The same report points to assessment in foundation subjects as less effective than in English and mathematics, which can make it harder for leaders to pin down exactly what pupils remember over time outside the core areas. For families, the practical implication is simple: if your child is especially curious about the wider curriculum (art, humanities, computing), ask how teachers check progress and adjust plans in those areas, not just in phonics and early maths.

Parents comparing local schools can use the FindMySchool local hub Comparison Tool to line up published data across the junior and primary options you are considering, especially once you move beyond infant stage where the data picture changes.

The curriculum on the school website is explicit about two strands being taught side by side: academic content and wellbeing-related learning habits. Rather than presenting this as a generic “personal development” layer, the school builds routines around four learning behaviours and revisits them across subjects. The advantage for infant pupils is that it gives a shared vocabulary for resilience, collaboration, reflection, and using resources sensibly.

Reading is treated as a cornerstone. The school states it uses the Sounds-Write programme for early reading, aiming for secure decoding alongside comprehension, with parent workshop materials also signposted. This aligns closely with the external view that early reading is prioritised and taught consistently, including prompt identification of children who need extra support.

Support for additional needs is described as early and integrated. The inspection report states that pupils with SEND are identified quickly and supported effectively, with adjustments so pupils can access the same curriculum as peers. The staffing structure also shows SEND leadership sitting with both the headteacher and deputy as co-SENDCos, which often helps decision-making stay close to everyday classroom realities in a small school.

Most families will be thinking about Year 3 continuity, friendships, and the practicalities of moving to a junior school. The school explicitly references linked junior schools in its timing and routines, including Crookham Junior School and All Saints Junior School. Hampshire’s school information page also lists Church Crookham Junior School as a linked school for admissions context.

The best question to ask is not just “where do children go”, but “how is transition handled”. Infant-to-junior is a bigger jump than it looks on paper because the expectations shift, there are more pupils on site, and the day structure changes. Given the school’s emphasis on learning habits, a sensible line of enquiry is how those habits are carried forward, and whether the junior schools use similar language around resilience and collaboration.

Demand is real. In the most recent admissions data, there were 164 applications for 58 offers for the main entry route, and the school is classed as oversubscribed. That equates to 2.83 applications per place, with first preferences slightly exceeding the number of offers. (These figures refer to the entry route, not the phase.)

As a voluntary aided Church of England school, catchment is not the usual council map boundary. The school states its catchment is the Parish of Crookham, and it also warns that the county council’s catchment finder may not show the correct position for this school. If you are relying on catchment priority, use the parish boundary information and confirm directly with the school if your address is borderline.

For Reception entry in September 2026, applications follow Hampshire’s main round timeline: applications open 01 November 2025, the deadline is 15 January 2026, and on-time offers are issued 16 April 2026. The school’s own admissions page for Year R September 2026 points families to the Hampshire application route and hosts the school’s 2026 to 2027 admissions policy and supplementary information form.

Parents should also use the FindMySchool Map Search when weighing up oversubscription risk, particularly if a move is involved. Even without a published “furthest distance at which a place was offered” figure here, distance and priority criteria can still be decisive in practice, and the tool helps families compare options more realistically.

At infant stage, pastoral quality is mostly about routines, trusted adults, and quick intervention when a child is struggling with separation, friendships, or classroom expectations. The inspection evidence describes pupils as confident to talk to adults if they are worried and notes a strong sense of care between pupils.

There are also identifiable pastoral roles in the staffing structure, including an ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant), which is a common model for targeted social and emotional support in primary settings. SEND leadership sits with the headteacher and deputy headteacher as co-SENDCos, which can help keep support joined up with classroom practice.

Wraparound provision is substantial for an infant school. Breakfast club runs from 7:30am and after-school provision runs until 6pm, both operated on site by 66Coaching. For working families, that matters as much as the school day itself, and it can reduce the pressure of piecing together childcare across multiple venues.

There are also named clubs rather than vague “after-school activities”. The current timetable lists Active Kids (Years 1 and 2), Football (Years 1 and 2), and Netball (Years 1 and 2), with the note that sports clubs are not offered to Reception children in the autumn term but are generally available later in the year. Holiday clubs are also referenced as running during school holidays through the same provider.

The wider enrichment offer includes specific trips and experiences referenced in the inspection narrative, including live theatre, participation in a local carnival, and a visit to the Science Museum. For an infant school, those “first experiences” can be powerful, they build vocabulary, confidence, and curiosity that feeds back into reading, writing, and oracy.

The school day runs 8:30am to 3:00pm. Wraparound care is available on site from 7:30am and after school until 6:00pm, which is a meaningful advantage for families with commuting patterns.

For travel, most families will be coming by foot, car, or short local journeys around Church Crookham and Fleet. Fleet railway station is the nearest mainline option for longer commutes. If you are coordinating multiple drop-offs, the school explicitly frames its timings as workable for families also using linked junior schools.

• Oversubscription pressure. With 164 applications for 58 offers in the most recent data, the main challenge for many families is securing a place rather than deciding whether the education is a fit.

• Catchment is not the standard council map. The school states its catchment is the Parish of Crookham and warns that the council catchment finder may not display it correctly for this voluntary aided school. Families should check parish boundaries early, especially if a move is being planned.

• Foundation subject assessment is a development area. The latest inspection points to weaker assessment practice outside English and mathematics, which can affect how precisely progress is tracked across the wider curriculum. Ask what has changed since February 2024, and how leaders now check what children remember in subjects like art, humanities, and computing.

This is a warm, values-driven infant school with a clear early reading focus, practical wraparound provision, and a recent inspection that confirms a strong baseline of care and safety. Best suited to families who want a Church of England ethos and a well-structured start to school life, and who can engage early with the admissions process in a competitive local market.