Tavistock Infant School Review 2026: Early swimming, clear routines, and a rights-based ethos

For parents comparing schools, the first limitation to understand is that this is an infant school (Reception to Year 2). National headline performance tables are designed around end of Key Stage 2 outcomes at age 11, so you will not see the same volume of comparable metrics that you might for a full primary school. Instead, the school’s published curriculum and assessment approach is the better indicator of academic intent.

Assessment is described as continuous and classroom-based, with two statutory checkpoints highlighted: the Reception Baseline within the first six weeks of starting school, and the Phonics Screening check in Year 1 (repeated in Year 2 where appropriate). This matters because it signals that early reading is treated as a core priority rather than an optional extra.

The reading strategy is also spelled out clearly. Phonics is taught four days per week in Early Years and Year 1, with pupils who need extra consolidation in Year 2 receiving daily phonics sessions. The school uses the Read, Write Inc programme for phonics teaching across the school. There is also a practical reading culture wrapped around that, including a school library and class book corners, and lunchtime access to the library on three days per week.

A final point for families weighing support needs: the inspection commentary indicates the school is working to sharpen provision for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, and to track the impact of planned improvements carefully.

The curriculum offer is broad for an infant setting and is described in concrete terms rather than vague aspirations. Reception follows the Early Years Foundation Stage, with the National Curriculum beginning in Year 1. Within that framework, the school’s priorities are easy to pick out.

Early language is treated as foundational

Teaching is designed to build vocabulary and help pupils explain their thinking in full sentences, which supports comprehension, writing, and confidence in class discussion. This is especially relevant for children who are shy or who have weaker speech and language development on entry, because the approach normalises structured talk rather than leaving it to confident children.

Reading and writing are built systematically

The phonics model is synthetic and structured, with a clear timetable, plus additional phonics in Year 2 for those who need it. Writing is presented as purposeful and varied, and pupils are taught grammar and punctuation alongside composition rather than treating those as separate skills.

STEM foundations are visible, not implied

Computing is delivered through weekly lessons in an ICT suite, with internet safety included, and Key Stage 1 pupils taking part in coding lessons. For many families, this is a reassuring sign that digital skills are being introduced through teaching rather than passive screen time.

Breadth includes practical and creative subjects

Music includes composition, performance, and appraisal, supported by a wide range of tuned and untuned percussion. Design and Technology is described as hands-on, with materials and supervised tool use.

The curriculum is not presented as a “pick and mix”. It reads like a planned sequence, with explicit checkpoints and continuity from Reception through Year 2, which is exactly what parents should want in an infant school, children are learning how to learn.

Because the school ends at Year 2, “next steps” means the move into junior education (Year 3). Transition at this stage is often underestimated by parents, the academic jump can be modest, but the social shift can be significant, new buildings, new adults, bigger playgrounds, and different expectations.

The school’s own communications indicate that at least a proportion of pupils move on to All Saints Junior School, with transition visits forming part of the Year 2 end-of-year rhythm. Families should still treat junior transfer as a separate admissions decision, because junior school place allocation is governed by its own admissions arrangements.

A practical way to handle this as a family is to shortlist likely junior options early, then work backwards. If your long-term plan depends on a particular junior school, check admissions criteria and maps carefully. FindMySchool’s Map Search tool can help you sense-check distances and understand how different schools’ priority areas intersect, which is often the hidden complexity when you live near boundaries.

Reception entry is coordinated by the local authority, rather than by the school directly. In the current published admissions policy for the September 2026 intake, the Published Admission Number is 60 for Reception.

The same policy sets out the local authority timetable for that intake: applications were due by 15 January 2026, with offer notifications issued on 16 April 2026. Given today’s date, those deadlines are now in the past for September 2026 entry, but the pattern is useful for future years, families should expect the main round to run with a mid-January deadline and spring offers, and should always confirm dates on the local authority site for the relevant intake year.

Oversubscription is the central reality here. The latest available demand data indicates 127 applications for 38 offers, a ratio of 3.34 applications per place, and the school is recorded as oversubscribed. (These figures reflect the available admissions results for the school.) That level of competition means small differences in priority criteria can determine outcomes. The admissions policy is explicit that, when oversubscribed, priority follows a standard order including looked-after children, exceptional medical or social need (with supporting evidence), children of staff in defined circumstances, catchment area children (with a sibling and then without), and then other children, with straight-line distance used as a tie-break where criteria are oversubscribed.

Two practical implications follow:

1. Catchment details matter. The policy points families to a catchment map hosted by the local authority, which is often the simplest way to avoid assumptions based on postcode lore.

2. Distance is not a guarantee even when you live close. The school’s results does not include a “furthest distance at which a place was offered” figure here, so parents should avoid treating proximity as certainty. If you are making a housing decision, combine local authority maps with a conservative plan B.

The school also publishes open sessions and an admissions information page for Reception intakes. For the September 2026 intake, open sessions were scheduled in late November and early January, and booking was required. Even when specific dates change year to year, it is reasonable to assume that open events typically cluster in those months.

Pastoral care at infant level is mainly delivered through small, repeated interactions, routines, language for feelings, and adult consistency. The school is clear that it teaches children to recognise emotions and calm themselves, and that minor unkindness or harmful language is dealt with quickly. That combination tends to work best for young children, because it prevents small issues escalating into patterns.

Safeguarding leadership is clearly signposted, with the headteacher named as Designated Safeguarding Lead and deputy roles identified for senior staff. Parents should still ask practical questions on visits, such as how concerns are logged, how children are taught personal safety, and how online safety is handled, but the published structure suggests safeguarding is treated as a whole-school responsibility rather than a back-office process.

On SEND, the school describes a staged approach with class teacher first, then SENDCo involvement, and escalation to senior leadership where needed. The recent inspection narrative indicates staff training is being used to improve identification and classroom strategies, with a specific focus on ensuring pupils with SEND and those eligible for pupil premium make the progress they can.

Extracurricular provision in an infant school should not be judged by how long the clubs list is. The more relevant question is whether activities are age-appropriate, well-organised, and integrated into children’s confidence and social development.

The school publishes a short, specific clubs list that includes Jam Coding (Wednesday), Boogie Pumps (Thursday), and CM Sports football (Friday). The general information page also highlights football and Boogie Pumps as examples of lunchtime or after-school activities run by external organisations, with charges applying. For parents, the implication is straightforward: clubs exist and are named, but availability may depend on provider timetables and demand, so it is sensible to confirm term-by-term options.

Enrichment is also embedded within the school day rather than only as add-ons. Swimming is a distinctive example. The inspection report notes that swimming lessons start in Reception, and the curriculum statement links this to local facilities, with access to Hart Leisure Centre enabling early swimming skills. This is not just “nice to have”. For many children, early swimming builds confidence, coordination, and listening skills in a structured, unfamiliar environment.

Music and language are also positioned as part of breadth. The inspection narrative describes pupils being introduced to learning a musical instrument and another language during their time at the school, and the music curriculum emphasises practical music-making with a wide range of percussion instruments available.

Finally, there is a clear parent-community layer through TAFF, the Tavistock Association of Family and Friends. It is described as a parent and friends committee that meets monthly to organise events and raise funds, and the message is that community-building and fundraising go together. For some families, that kind of structure makes it easier to feel connected quickly, which can be a real benefit in the early years.

The school day is clearly stated: doors open at 8.45 am, with the school day running from 8.55 am to 3.15 pm. Lunch is simple for families to plan, children can have a free cooked school lunch or bring a packed lunch.

Travel and parking are worth thinking through in advance. The school emphasises walking and cycling routes, notes that there is no parent car park (except for Blue Badge holders), and asks families who drive to park considerately to maintain good relationships with neighbours.

Wraparound care varies hugely between infant schools. The website sets out clubs and activities, but does not clearly publish a dedicated breakfast club or after-school care offer with hours and booking arrangements. Families who need wraparound as a non-negotiable should ask the school directly about availability, eligibility, and cost.

• Oversubscription is real. With demand running at 3.34 applications per place in the available admissions data, families should treat Reception entry as competitive and build a realistic plan B. Priority criteria and catchment mapping can matter as much as “distance intuition”.

• Catchment boundaries can change. The published admissions policy for 2026 to 2027 entry includes transitional arrangements linked to catchment changes from September 2026. If you live near a boundary, do not assume past patterns will hold.

• Drop-off logistics need planning. There is no parent car park, and the school explicitly asks drivers to park considerately around nearby roads. If you commute by car, test your route at peak time before you commit.

• If you need formal wraparound, verify it early. Clubs are listed, but wraparound care details are not clearly published as a single offer. Families needing guaranteed breakfast and after-school provision should confirm arrangements directly.

This is a well-organised infant school with a clear ethos, stable leadership, and a curriculum that takes early reading, language, and personal development seriously. Swimming from Reception and structured computing through an ICT suite give it extra character beyond the basics. Best suited to families who want a calm, purposeful start to schooling and who are prepared to engage seriously with admissions criteria in an oversubscribed context. The main challenge is securing a place.