Tweseldown Infant School Review 2026: Forest School-led learning with strong personal development

Reading is treated as a core priority, with phonics taught from Reception through a structured programme that staff follow consistently. Books are closely matched to the sounds pupils know, and extra support for pupils finding reading difficult is planned and systematic, which is exactly what parents want to hear at this stage.

Curriculum design is described as broad and ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and or disabilities (SEND), with teachers checking learning routinely and addressing misconceptions quickly. That combination, clear curriculum thinking plus responsive classroom practice, is usually what underpins calm, productive infant classrooms.

Beyond core subjects, the school also uses practical experiences to embed learning. Examples in official material include workplace visits and themed learning (such as a Reception topic linked to doctors), which can help young pupils connect vocabulary and concepts to the real world.

The school serves pupils up to the end of Year 2, so the next step is typically junior transfer into Year 3. The local authority explicitly lists Church Crookham Junior School as a linked school, and being on roll at a linked infant school can be relevant to priority arrangements depending on the junior school’s published policy.

Transition into Reception is also treated as a process rather than a single start date. The school’s induction guidance describes a structured summer-term programme of pre-school liaison, small-group visits, parent meetings, and early September settling routines, with most children moving to full time by the end of the second week in September (while still treating children as individuals).

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Admission is coordinated through Hampshire County Council, and families apply via the council rather than directly through the school.

Demand is strong. In the latest available admissions data, there were 181 applications for 105 offers, which indicates oversubscription and limited flexibility for late movers.

For September 2026 entry, the council’s published key dates for starting school show applications opening on 1 November 2025, closing on 15 January 2026, with offer notifications on 16 April 2026.

Place planning is also part of the local picture. The council’s school details page lists 90 Reception (Year R) places for September 2026, which is worth noting if you are comparing odds across nearby schools. Parents comparing competitiveness can use the FindMySchool Map Search to sanity-check location factors alongside published admissions rules, then keep shortlists organised using Saved Schools.

Pastoral systems are unusually detailed for an infant school, and the language is practical rather than vague. The school sets out multiple layers of emotional support, including Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) trained via the Hampshire Educational Psychologists Team, with support that can cover anxiety, bereavement, self-esteem, anger, and transitions.

A second strand is TALA (Therapeutic Active Listening Assistant), described as regular weekly one-to-one sessions delivered in cycles, in a quiet space with play-based materials, with practitioners receiving support via educational psychologists and counsellors.

Alongside this, the school has invested in the Thrive approach as a whole-school framework to understand needs behind behaviour and to target support for pupils who need it most. On safeguarding, Ofsted stated that arrangements are effective and described a strong culture of vigilance.

Outdoor learning is not a bolt-on. The Beyond the Gate Forest School programme runs as regular sessions that link to curriculum themes and seasons, led by a qualified Level 3 Forest School Leader, with pupils using the site for exploration, nature study, natural crafts, and age-appropriate bushcraft and survival skills.

The Eco work is unusually tangible for Key Stage 1. Examples documented by the school include pupil-led litter picks in local areas, building habitat projects such as a Minibeast Mansion (alongside an existing Bug Skyscraper), and learning activities connected to bees and biodiversity.

Clubs are also a visible part of the offer. The inspection report references appealing options such as French, yoga, and choir, and notes structured “board games afternoons” to build cooperation and social interaction. Separately, published club information indicates options across the week such as Lego Technical Club, Drama Kids, street dance, football, gymnastics, and yoga.

The school day is published as 8.35am to 3.05pm. For wraparound care, the on-site Starcare provision runs 7.30am to 8.30am and 3.05pm to 6.00pm on weekdays in term time (excluding inset days and early finishes).

Term dates for 2025 to 26 are published on the school website, including early finishes at 1.30pm on specific end-of-term days, which helps families plan childcare reliably. Holiday provision is supplemented by hosted activity camps during school holidays, advertised for ages 4 to 12.

For travel planning, the local authority points families to its journey planning resources and transport policy pages.

• Competition for Reception places. The school is oversubscribed based on the latest published demand data (181 applications for 105 offers). For September 2026, the council lists 90 Reception places, so it is sensible to apply early and use all preference slots strategically.

• Curriculum consistency varies by subject. External review notes strong sequencing in some areas, but also flags that some foundation subjects are too broad and not mapped precisely enough for secure long-term knowledge building.

• Mathematics practice may feel uneven. The same review highlights that pupils are not always given enough chances to strengthen calculation strategies through problem solving, which is worth probing at an open event if maths is a priority for your child.

• Junior transfer planning matters. With pupils moving on after Year 2, families benefit from thinking about Year 3 routes early, including how linked-school arrangements may apply for local junior schools.

This is a well-established, well-organised infant school for families who value strong early reading, a carefully structured start into Reception, and an outdoor learning programme that is embedded rather than occasional. It suits children who thrive with clear routines, plenty of nature-based learning, and a school culture that takes personal development seriously. The limiting factor for many families is admission rather than day-to-day quality, so a realistic plan for applications and junior transfer is essential.