Fleet Infant School Review 2026: A Grade II listed infant school with a strong outdoor learning strand

As an infant school (ages 4 to 7), it does not have Year 6 key stage 2 outcomes, so the most meaningful indicators for families are the quality of early reading, the coherence of the curriculum across Reception to Year 2, and the strength of pastoral systems that enable children to learn well.

Early reading is treated as a priority. The school describes a bespoke systematic synthetic phonics programme, with reading books matched to pupils’ phonic knowledge so that fluency builds alongside confidence. The most recent inspection also notes that leaders had recently overhauled phonics teaching, with books aligned to the programme and additional help for pupils who struggle to keep up, while also flagging that leaders should keep reviewing the approach so that the few who fall behind catch up quickly.

In mathematics, the emphasis is on automaticity first, then application. The curriculum page highlights mental maths and calculation methods for the four rules, followed by problem solving and reasoning that requires pupils to demonstrate understanding independently. That sequencing matters for young learners: when number facts are secure, lessons can shift from “how” to “why”, which is typically where confidence and enjoyment accelerate.

Parents comparing local schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view nearby options side-by-side, focusing on inspection outcomes and admissions competitiveness rather than headline test data that infant schools do not publish.

Teaching is built around clear routines and carefully organised content. The inspection report describes leaders drawing on published schemes and setting out what pupils should know by the time they move on to junior school, with teachers using questioning to check understanding and plan what comes next. The same report also identifies a practical improvement point: in some subjects, leaders needed to define precisely what key knowledge, skills, and vocabulary pupils must retain as they move through the school, so that assessment better reflects long-term learning.

The school’s own curriculum statements reinforce a “basics, then breadth” pattern. Writing is described as being led through stimulating topics, designed to build knowledge and then convert it into imaginative, purposeful work. That approach tends to suit children who learn best when reading, talk, and writing are linked to a shared class focus rather than treated as isolated skills.

Outdoor learning is not positioned as a bolt-on reward. The Forest School programme is presented as part of how the school develops independence, resilience, and appropriate risk awareness through structured experiences like woodland crafts, tool use, games, and exploration. For some children, this kind of learning is where language and confidence lift most sharply.

The main transition point is into Year 3 at a junior school. For families planning early, it is worth understanding local admission timelines and the link between infant and junior provision. The school’s published admission policy explicitly references a “linked junior school”, Velmead Junior School, within sibling criteria, which signals how closely the local system treats the two schools in practice.

Hampshire’s coordinated timetable for September 2026 shows infant-to-junior transfer applications opening on 1 November 2025 with a deadline of 15 January 2026, and offers released on 16 April 2026. Even if your child is not transferring in 2026, the pattern is typically similar each year, with autumn submission and spring offers, so it is sensible to plan at least one year ahead.

Admissions are coordinated by Hampshire County Council, which is also the admission authority for the school. The published admission number for Reception is 90 for 2026 to 2027, and the policy confirms that on-time applications for September 2026 were due by midnight on 15 January 2026, with offers issued on 16 April 2026.

Competition for Reception places is real. Recent admissions data indicates 195 applications for 90 offers, which is about 2.17 applications per place, and the entry route is described as oversubscribed. (This is based on the most recent recorded Reception admissions cycle provided.)

When oversubscribed, the admission policy sets priorities in a clear order. After children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, criteria include looked-after children, exceptional medical or social need with professional evidence, children of staff, and then a series of catchment-based rules. Notably, there is a school-specific criterion for children living in the catchment area north of the railway line, and the policy also references the linked junior school within sibling rules.

Distance is measured as straight-line distance using the local authority’s geographic information systems, and random allocation is used as a tie-break where applicants are equidistant. Families who are using distance as a deciding factor should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise home-to-school distance accurately, rather than relying on map apps that may measure differently.

For prospective parents, the school published an information evening and daytime tours for September 2026 entry, scheduled in early October 2025, with booking required. For future years, expect open events to run in a similar early-autumn window, and confirm each year’s dates directly with the school.

The tone of behaviour and relationships is a central strength. The inspection report describes positive behaviour setting the tone across the school, with staff modelling respectful talk and using gentle reminders to get pupils back on track when needed. In Reception, routines are taught explicitly, and that structure is carried forward into Year 1 and Year 2 so that learning time is protected rather than repeatedly reset.

Pupils’ understanding of safety and wellbeing is woven through the day. Inspectors also reported that safeguarding arrangements are effective. The school identifies a designated safeguarding lead and deputy safeguarding leads, and publishes safeguarding policies and procedures for parents.

Emotional regulation is treated as teachable. The inspection report notes small-group sessions for pupils who struggle with their emotions, helping them explore and make sense of feelings, which is an important practical support at infant age when language and self-control develop rapidly.

There is a clear commitment to physical activity in daily routines. The school day schedule includes Active Dance late in the afternoon, and the PE curriculum page also describes a daily Active Run, alongside roughly two hours of PE each week with both class teachers and a PE specialist. For many children, that daily movement is not just “extra”, it is how concentration is reset and behaviour stays even.

Music has a defined place in the curriculum. The inspection report notes that in Years 1 and 2, all pupils learn to play the ukulele, and that a love of music is actively encouraged from early years upward. This matters because it gives every child a concrete performance skill, not just those whose families arrange external lessons.

The school’s club offer is unusually specific for an infant setting, and it is published with times and providers. Examples include Junior Soccer Skills football club (Mondays), Gymnastics Club and Magic Club (Tuesdays), Year 2 Choir plus CM Sports multisports and Fun Francais (Wednesdays), Synergy Dance Movers & Shakers (Thursdays), and Rock Steady Music and Synergy Dance Musical Theatre (Fridays). These are run by outside organisations and are chargeable, which is worth factoring into budgeting.

Outdoor learning is not limited to occasional trips. The Forest School programme began in November 2021 and reached full Forest School status by September 2022, with practical activities such as den building, woodland crafts, and supervised exploration on nearby heathland. The same page highlights safety routines such as long sleeves and trousers due to tick risk, which signals that the programme is planned, not informal free play.

School opening hours are published as 8.40am to 3.10pm for Reception and 8.45am to 3.15pm for Years 1 and 2, totalling 32.5 hours per week. Breakfast and after-school care operate on-site through an external provider, with breakfast club from 7.45am to 8.45am and after-school care from 3.10pm to 6.00pm.

For travel, the school explicitly encourages walking where possible and notes that parking in the car park and immediate vicinity is limited; scooter pods are available for children who scoot or cycle.

• Admissions pressure at Reception. With roughly 2.17 applications per place in the most recent recorded cycle, families should treat a place as competitive and understand the catchment and distance rules early.

• Catchment rules are detailed. Priority is not simply “closest wins”. The published policy includes specific criteria, including a catchment subdivision north of the railway line, plus defined tie-break and random allocation rules.

• Clubs can add cost. Many clubs are run by external organisations and are described as chargeable, so the true cost of “extras” will vary by family.

• Early reading is a focus area under review. Phonics teaching has been updated recently, and the school is expected to keep the programme under review so that pupils who struggle catch up quickly.

This is a structured, values-led infant school that puts early reading, routines, and physical activity at the centre of daily life. The setting stands out both for its distinctive listed building and for a well-developed outdoor learning offer, including a fully established Forest School programme. It best suits families who want a clear, orderly Reception to Year 2 environment, can engage with a catchment-based admissions process, and value a curriculum that blends strong basics with music and outdoor learning.