The Grove Infant and Nursery School Review 2026: Outstanding early years and Key Stage 1, with a clear progression route

Because the school serves Nursery to Year 2, you should not expect the same public exam metrics you see for junior or primary schools that run through to Year 6. In that sense, “results” are better understood as readiness for the next stage: early reading fluency, secure number foundations, and positive learning habits.

External evidence supports that overall picture. The inspection report describes a broad curriculum that pupils remember well, because teachers deliberately help them make connections and build on prior learning. It also states that pupils leave very well prepared for junior school.

The school’s own curriculum information provides additional, concrete detail on early reading. It uses Bug Club Phonics as its systematic synthetic phonics programme, with daily phonics in Reception and Year 1, and targeted catch-up into Year 2 where needed. The school also reports an average of 94% of children achieving the appropriate standard in the Phonics Screening Check.

Parents comparing nearby options can still use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool, but the most meaningful comparison point here is the quality of early reading, vocabulary development, and transition arrangements, rather than Year 6 test outcomes.

Teaching is described, in official evidence, as carefully structured and intellectually ambitious for the age group. Subject plans are sequenced into small steps, starting in Nursery and Reception, then built on in Key Stage 1. The report also notes that teachers link learning to the local area and current events, which is an effective way to turn isolated facts into understanding for young children.

Early reading is clearly prioritised. In Reception, phonics sessions are daily and focused on the sounds children need to read and write confidently; in Year 1 the programme continues at pace, with regular consolidation and decodable texts. The school describes streaming for phonics after the first term in Reception to keep pace matched to need, which is often a practical way to prevent children at either end of the distribution from drifting.

Two further teaching features stand out for parents.

1. Staff subject knowledge, which the inspection explicitly links to clear modelling and quick identification of misconceptions.

2. A strong approach to inclusion. The inspection evidence says pupils with SEND are identified early, staff work closely with parents, and support is individualised where needed, with high achievement for these pupils as well.

For families, the implication is straightforward: this is a school that treats early learning as serious work, but delivers it in an age-appropriate way, with routines and language designed to build confidence.

The structural story matters here, because the infant and junior phases are split across two schools on the same wider site. The school’s own description emphasises close working with The Grove Junior School and shared grounds. The junior school, in turn, describes this arrangement as supporting a seamless transition and continuity as children move through their educational journey.

Practically, that usually means familiar routines, shared expectations around behaviour and learning, and transition work that starts before the end of Year 2. The inspection report supports the destination point in principle by stating pupils leave very well prepared for junior school.

For parents, one key point is procedural rather than educational: a linked site and close collaboration does not automatically remove the need to apply for a place at the next school stage. Hertfordshire County Council publishes specific admissions rules, including a rule for linked infant and junior schools in the case of junior admissions. Families planning a Year 3 move should read the relevant rules early, especially in an area where demand can be strong.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Admission is therefore governed by published admissions arrangements, and competition for places can be real.

Reception entry

Reception applications are coordinated through Hertfordshire. The school’s Reception 2026 page points families to the Hertfordshire admissions process and notes that the application window opened on 01 November 2025 for children born between 01 September 2021 and 31 August 2022.

For Reception 2026 (September 2026 start), Hertfordshire’s published timeline states:

• Online applications opened on 03 November 2025

• Deadline for on-time applications was 15 January 2026

• National allocation day is 16 April 2026

Hertfordshire also sets out late-application handling, including that reasons and evidence to have a late application treated as on-time must be received by 02 February 2026.

Demand indicators point to pressure. For the most recent admissions cycle provided, there were 180 applications for 60 offers for the primary entry route, which is consistent with an oversubscribed school. (Admissions patterns can shift year to year, so treat any single cycle as indicative rather than predictive.)

Nursery entry

Nursery is a separate admissions route, and families should treat it as its own process rather than assuming it feeds automatically into Reception.

The school publishes a Nursery admissions area, including a prospectus and a timeline for 2026. It also states that offers will be made on Monday 16 March, and acceptances are due by Monday 23 March.

A key rule to remember: you should never rely on nursery attendance as an implied guarantee of a Reception place unless the admission authority explicitly states it, and for most state schools it does not.

Oversubscription rules

Where demand exceeds places, Hertfordshire’s published primary admissions rules are applied in order. These include looked-after and previously looked-after children, exceptional medical or social need, siblings, and distance. The rules also highlight linked infant and junior schools as a specific rule for junior admissions.

If you are trying to assess the realism of admission, use FindMySchool Map Search to measure your travel distance and time to the school gates, then sense-check that against the intensity of demand locally. It is not a guarantee, but it is better than guessing.

Pastoral support at infant level often shows up as routines, language, and the speed with which adults spot wobble points, tiredness, friendship issues, or emerging needs.

The inspection evidence describes pupils who feel safe, trust staff, and are confident sharing worries. The report also confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Beyond safeguarding, personal development is treated as planned learning rather than a bolt-on. The report highlights deliberate teaching about different cultures, countries, and religions, with the intended outcome being kindness, respect, and a comfort with difference. For parents, that typically translates to a school where behaviour expectations are clear and children get structured help learning how to manage social situations, not just academic ones.

Extracurricular offer at infant age works best when it is simple, varied, and does not assume every child can manage a long day plus a packed programme. The school’s clubs page makes that point directly, advising parents not to feel pressured to sign up and acknowledging that children can be tired.

The content, however, is far from thin. Clubs listed for the year include:

• Yoga Club (Years 1 and 2)

• Book Club (Years 1 and 2)

• Board Games Club (Year 1)

• Nature Club (Years 1 and 2)

• Street Dance (Year 2)

• Boys Football Club (Year 2)

There are also external clubs on offer, including French Club, Chess Club, and Tennis Club, with different formats across lunchtimes and after school.

For younger children, the “why” matters as much as the list. Yoga and dance support physical coordination and self-regulation; book club and chess signal that reading and thinking are socially valued; nature club reinforces the school’s wider emphasis on outdoor learning and early science language. In an infant setting, that combination can be more developmentally meaningful than trying to replicate older-school enrichment.

The published school day has clear, child-friendly structure.

Nursery sessions run 08:30 to 11:30 (morning) and 12:30 to 15:30 (afternoon). The infant school day ends at 15:15.

Wraparound provision is available through a partner provider. Breakfast club runs from 07:30 to 08:50, and after-school club runs from 15:15 to 18:15, with Nursery and Reception children based in the school’s early years unit.

Holiday childcare is also hosted on-site during school breaks through a holiday club provider that uses indoor and outdoor spaces across the site.

For travel, the school sits in Southdown on the edge of Harpenden, sharing a wider landscaped site with the adjacent junior school, so many families approach on foot or scooter if living locally.

• Oversubscription reality. Demand indicators show 180 applications for 60 offers cycle for the primary entry route. If you are relying on a place, treat the published admissions timeline and criteria as essential reading rather than background detail.

• Infant-only structure. The school ends at Year 2. The handover to junior education can be smooth on a shared site, but families should still plan the Year 3 transition proactively and understand the relevant admissions rules for linked schools.

• Nursery is not a back door. Nursery admissions are a separate process. Even with strong continuity, do not assume nursery attendance guarantees a Reception place unless the admission authority explicitly states it.

• Wraparound costs and availability vary. Breakfast and after-school provision is offered via a partner; availability, booking, and charges can change, so families should check the current terms before relying on it for work patterns.

This is a high-performing infant and nursery school that treats early learning as the foundation, not the warm-up. The Outstanding inspection judgement, the explicit emphasis on early reading and vocabulary, and the well-organised wraparound offer combine into a compelling proposition for local families.

Who it suits: families who want a structured, ambitious early years and Key Stage 1 education, and who value clear routines, strong early reading, and a calm culture.

The limiting factor is likely to be admission rather than the educational offer. Families interested in this option should use Saved Schools to manage their shortlist and track key dates across nearby alternatives.