Chalfont St Peter Infant School Review 2026: North Star ambitions, Forest School learning, strong pastoral leadership

As an infant school, there is no Key Stage 2 SATs results to use for the usual end of primary comparison tables, and this limits how far any external performance narrative can go without guessing. What can be assessed credibly is the quality of the curriculum, early reading, and how well pupils are prepared for the next stage.

The current picture is one of secure basics and clear ambition. Early reading is prioritised, pupils are matched to books that align with the sounds they know, and routines support fluency. The wider curriculum is described as carefully mapped and ambitious, with early years foundations deliberately feeding into later precision and skill development.

For parents comparing local options, the most practical approach is to use FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages and the comparison tool to look at nearby schools side by side. For an infant setting, this tends to be more useful for comparing inspection outcomes, admissions pressure, and practicalities than it is for exam grade data.

Teaching here is designed to build confidence through small, repeated wins. That is especially clear in the early years transition model. New Reception pupils typically start with a phased settling programme in the first full week of autumn term, moving from half day sessions to longer days including lunch by the end of that week. The implication is straightforward, children who need time to adjust are not immediately forced into full days, and families get a predictable structure to plan around.

Curriculum intent is emphasised across the school, not just in English and maths. Art and design is used as an example of how skills build, pupils begin with colour mixing and tool use in early years and carry those “precision skills” forward. This kind of language often signals a school that wants consistency across subjects, not a narrow focus on phonics alone.

Mathematics appears to be in a period of active improvement. A newer programme is described as having a positive impact, with the caveat that it is not yet consistently embedded across all staff to the point of being exceptional. For families, that reads as a school that is still evolving its approach, with leaders pushing for consistency rather than leaving practice to individual preference.

Parental partnership is a visible part of the model. Workshops and “learn with me” sessions are explicitly used to help parents support reading and learning at home. That is often the difference between children making steady progress and children accelerating, especially in Reception and Year 1 where home practice can be decisive.

The transition out of an infant school is a big change for 7 year olds, and good settings treat it as a curriculum and pastoral project, not just an administrative move.

Locally, pupils typically move on to junior provision and Buckinghamshire’s primary admissions system explicitly covers both Reception entry and moving from infant to junior school. In practice, this means families should plan early for Year 3 transfer and treat it with the same seriousness as starting Reception, especially if you are balancing sibling logistics across schools.

One of the relevant junior schools in the area, Chalfont St Peter Church of England Academy, publishes KS1 to KS2 transition arrangements that include inviting Year 2 children from feeder infant schools to visit and engage with school events, helping pupils feel familiar with the next setting before the move.

If your child has additional needs, it is worth checking how support plans will transfer and who holds responsibility at each stage. The most effective transitions tend to start in the summer term, with structured visits and staff to staff handover.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Entry is coordinated through the local authority route rather than a direct school managed application.

Demand is clearly significant. For the most recent admissions cycle provided, there were 154 applications for 59 offers, which equates to 2.61 applications per place, and the entry route is marked as oversubscribed. That level of pressure usually means families should not rely on a late change of mind, and should also treat proof of address and deadlines as non negotiable.

For September 2026 entry, Buckinghamshire’s published timetable gives the key dates: applications open on 5 November 2025 and close at 11.59pm on 15 January 2026, with offers released on 16 April 2026. If you are moving into or within the county, there is also a specific deadline for address evidence, listed as 29 January 2026.

The school’s own admissions page points families back to the Buckinghamshire admissions process, which is the right place to treat as the source of truth for dates and appeals.

Open days and first look opportunities often matter more for an infant school than they do later on, because you are assessing routines, staff communication, and how calm the setting feels. The school indicates that it typically runs two open days each year in October and November. For families shortlisting, it is sensible to use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check practical travel time and likely morning logistics, then use an open day to test whether the school’s rhythm suits your child.

Personal development is a headline strength here and it is treated as a whole school responsibility rather than an add on. Pupils are expected to practise “living well together”, with tangible structures that give them voice and responsibility early. The Junior Leader route, School Council, and charity initiatives are examples of this being operationalised rather than merely described.

There is also a clear emphasis on safety education. Pupils learn how to stay safe including online safety, and wider community input is used to broaden their sense of possible futures.

The school’s safeguarding arrangements are reported as effective in the most recent inspection documentation.

Extracurricular provision in an infant school is most meaningful when it extends play, creativity, and confidence, rather than chasing breadth for its own sake. The clubs list is unusually detailed, and it suggests a school that wants pupils to try varied experiences early.

The school lists clubs including Sewing, Reception Activities Club, Boards Games Café, Mad About Science, Musical Theatre, Environmental, Tennis, Dance, Choir, Recorder, Football, We Love Reading, Lego, STEM, and Multisport. The implication for families is that children who enjoy hands on making and performance will have multiple entry points to build confidence, not just sport.

Dance is positioned as more than a casual club. The school describes itself as an Artsmark Gold school and notes that dance practice leads to performances at end of term concerts, with festivals where possible. That links directly to the school’s wider emphasis on personal development through performance and shared events.

Outdoor learning is another distinctive pillar. Forest School is explicitly referenced as a way pupils take on “new and interesting challenges”. In a setting for 5 to 7 year olds, that matters because it supports resilience, turn taking, and problem solving in a context that can suit children who find desk based concentration harder in the early years.

The school day runs from 8.50am to 3.00pm, with gates opening at 8.40am.

Before and after school care is available via a third party wraparound provider operating at the school site, with morning sessions listed from 7.30am to 8.50am on weekdays. The school also notes that clubs vary by term, so families using wraparound regularly should check the interaction between club times and wraparound pick up.

In transport terms, the best practical test is the morning run. Infant schools are sensitive to punctuality and routine, and a five minute difference in travel time can change the feel of daily life. If you are weighing several options, use FindMySchool’s map tools to check door to door timing, then sanity check it at drop off time on a normal weekday.

• Admissions pressure. With 154 applications for 59 offers competition is real. Families should treat deadlines and address evidence as essential, and have at least one realistic alternative on the application.

• No single overall inspection grade in 2024. The October 2024 inspection uses key judgements rather than an overall effectiveness label. That makes it worth reading across the full set of judgements, especially if you tend to anchor on a single word grade.

• Maths approach still bedding in. The inspection narrative signals that a newer mathematics programme is having a positive impact, but consistency is still being embedded. For families with a child who needs very predictable teaching routines, it is worth asking how staff training is being standardised.

• Wraparound runs via an external provider. Many families will like having provision on site, but it is still a separate organisation. If wraparound is central to your working week, check the exact booking process and what happens on inset days and end of term dates.

This is a structured, values led infant school with unusually strong personal development and leadership judgements, plus a tangible culture of responsibility for very young pupils. The “North Star” idea, Forest School learning, and a broad club menu all feed into a setting that wants children to aim high while still feeling safe.

It suits families who want a calm, community oriented start to school, with plenty of opportunities for performance, creativity, and early leadership. The limiting factor is admission, so families who are serious about this option should plan around Buckinghamshire’s published timetable and build a realistic shortlist early.