Hempstead Infant School Review 2026, A large infant school with a small school feel

Infant schools sit in a slightly different accountability space to junior primaries, because there are no Key Stage 2 tests at age 11, and national headline measures for older pupils do not apply. What parents can look for instead are signals about early reading, curriculum design, and how consistently learning is sequenced from Reception to Year 2.

On reading, the clearest message is prioritisation. Official evidence describes frequent reading, a well-considered phonics programme, careful matching of reading books to taught sounds, and extra help when pupils fall behind. There is also a direct statement that pupils achieve highly in the national phonics check, without a published percentage in the material available.

Beyond reading, the curriculum intent is described as broad and ambitious, with a deliberate link between early years learning and Key Stage 1 content. Physical education is used as an example of logical sequencing, where skills build over time rather than being treated as disconnected activities.

Where the picture is more mixed, it is about consistency. The same evidence highlights that, in a few subjects, the precise knowledge pupils should be taught is not defined clearly enough, which can lead to variation in what different classes receive. For families, the practical implication is simple: the strongest experience is already in place in key areas like early reading, but the school is still tightening curriculum clarity in the foundation subjects so pupils get the same secure building blocks regardless of class.

At this age, strong teaching is often less about “coverage” and more about sequencing, explanation, and practice. The inspection evidence points to teachers asking frequent, well-judged questions to check understanding, and to thoughtful selection of resources that help pupils grasp concepts. A concrete example is the use of counters in mathematics to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities when working on fractions.

Early years practice is described as structured and relevant, with learning framed through stories and purposeful activity. The example given involves children measuring their feet after reading The Elves and the Shoemaker, then applying that measurement to design and make shoes. The value of this sort of approach is that it makes vocabulary and number meaningful, while still being explicit teaching rather than free play dressed up as learning.

Reading instruction is described as a whole-staff effort, with most staff appropriately trained to deliver the phonics programme as intended, alongside a recognition that a small number of staff need further training to reach the strongest level of delivery. That is an important detail, because phonics success depends on consistency across classrooms and groups.

Because this is an infant school (Reception to Year 2), the “next steps” question is about Year 3 rather than GCSE pathways. In practice, many families will naturally consider the neighbouring junior school within the same federation, partly because the schools share governance and headship, and partly because it can simplify transition planning.

It is still worth being clear about the administrative reality: moving from Year 2 to Year 3 is a transition point, and families should check how places are allocated locally and what, if any, priority applies. The school’s admissions information explicitly distinguishes Reception entry from in-year applications, and positions in-year admissions as processed directly by the school, with appeal routes managed via Medway Council.

For parents who want continuity, the federation structure is a meaningful advantage. Shared leadership makes it easier to align approaches to behaviour, safeguarding culture, and curriculum sequencing across the infant to junior years.

Reception places are coordinated through the local authority for families who live within Medway, with families outside Medway applying through their home local authority.

Demand is the defining feature. For the most recent entry data, there were 197 applications for 89 offers, and the school is described as oversubscribed. For parents, that means two things. First, timing matters, because late applications reduce options in any competitive local system. Second, it is sensible to treat this as a school where proximity, sibling rules, and priority categories can make or break outcomes, even when a school feels “local”.

The school publishes a clear set of dates for Reception intake for September 2026. Applications close at 5pm on 15 January 2026, with offers sent on 17 April 2026, and places needing to be accepted or refused by 12 May 2026. It also states that requests to go on the waiting list and appeals must be submitted by 12 May 2026.

Open events follow a predictable pattern for Reception intake. The school describes weekly open mornings running from October through to December for families considering Reception entry for the following September, which is exactly the kind of cadence that suits parents who need to compare several local options. As always, check the current year’s dates, since open morning schedules are time-sensitive and may change year to year.

A practical tip: if you are shortlisting multiple local primaries, use the FindMySchool Map Search to check your exact distance from each school, then keep those distances alongside your application preferences. It helps prevent decisions being made on assumption rather than measurement.

In an infant school, wellbeing is expressed through predictability. The published evidence describes a safe, happy environment, pupils who value staff support, and a culture where pupils are taught explicitly about friendships, families, growing up, and decision-making. Online safety education is also referenced as a regular feature rather than a one-off assembly topic.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is a visible strength in the official narrative. Evidence points to strengthened SEND identification and support, with staff tailoring learning to meet pupils’ needs effectively. Parents are described as appreciative of both the support and the quality of communication they receive.

Attendance work is also flagged as an area where practice has improved. The evidence indicates that attendance had been a concern historically, and that measures put in place have improved it. For families, the implication is encouraging: the school is paying attention to the basics that make learning possible, including daily attendance patterns, not only what happens inside lessons.

Extracurricular at infant age works best when it feels accessible rather than elite. The school’s evidence base points to pupils enjoying clubs, visits, and trips, and it gives specific examples of clubs such as archery, tag rugby, and performing arts. That is a useful mix because it spans physical activity, team play, and confidence-building performance opportunities.

The school also describes a changing programme across the year, with activities varying term by term. Examples mentioned include dance, multi-skills, football, science clubs, and craft clubs, with sessions running after school for pupils who can manage the longer day. For families, the key implication is logistical rather than philosophical: if you rely on after-school enrichment, you will want to align it with your childcare plan and collection arrangements, since clubs are scheduled to finish at a set time.

A subtle but important extra is pupil responsibility. Roles like “helping hands” at lunchtime might sound small, but they teach empathy and practical leadership in a way that four to seven year olds can understand. It also helps build a culture where older pupils see themselves as part of the school’s care structure, not only as individuals moving through it.

The school publishes a detailed daily timetable. Classroom doors open at 08:30, registers close at 08:45, and the school day ends at 15:05 for Reception and 15:10 for Years 1 and 2, with a stated total of 6 hours 30 minutes.

Wraparound care is organised through the federation and is based at the junior school site. Breakfast club runs 07:30 to 08:30, with breakfast served 07:30 to 08:00, and the published cost is £5 per session. The after-school Squirrel Club runs 15:00 to 18:00, and the published cost is £11 per session.

On transport and access, the school describes itself as being in the residential area of Hempstead on the edge of the Medway Towns, so for many families, the routine is likely to be walkable or a short drive depending on your exact address. Where distance is tight, it is worth using FindMySchool’s local comparison tools to look at nearby alternatives side-by-side, then pressure-test what is realistic for your daily commute.

• Admission pressure. With 197 applications for 89 offers entry is competitive. If you are aiming for Reception intake, treat deadlines and paperwork as mission-critical, not admin.

• Curriculum consistency is still being tightened. Official evidence highlights strong curriculum planning overall, but also flags that a few subjects need more precise definition of what pupils should learn, to reduce variation between classes. That is the kind of improvement work that can take time to embed.

• Wraparound is practical but has costs and a separate base. Breakfast club and after-school provision are available, but they are based at the junior school and come with per-session charges. Families should factor this into both travel planning and budgeting.

• Staff training consistency matters for phonics success. Reading is prioritised and the phonics programme is described as well-considered, but a small number of staff are identified as needing additional training to deliver reading and mathematics at the strongest level.

A purposeful infant school that puts routines, reading, and clear expectations at the centre of daily life. The federation structure with Hempstead Junior School supports continuity, and the leadership picture is stable, with Mr Paul Cross in post since 2019 at the infant school.

Best suited to families who want a structured start to primary education, value clear behaviour expectations, and are organised enough to manage a competitive admissions process.