Riders Infant School Review 2026: A community-focused infant school with strong early reading

Infant schools do not have the same public end of Key Stage 2 results profile as junior or primary schools, so parents often end up judging academic quality through curriculum design, phonics and reading practice, and how confidently pupils transition into Key Stage 2.

The inspection evidence suggests the school is part-way through a rebuild. The curriculum has been reorganised so knowledge is intended to build gradually with planned revisiting, but implementation across subjects has not been consistent enough, and checking of pupils’ understanding has not always been sharp enough. That can show up as uneven knowledge from class to class and year to year, which is exactly the risk families want to avoid at infant stage.

Two areas are more secure. Early reading is a clear priority, with a phonics programme supported by regular assessment that pinpoints gaps and helps teaching respond quickly. Mathematics is also described as stronger, with clear presentation of concepts and time for practice and problem solving.

The curriculum intent is explicitly “knowledge-rich”, with sequencing and progression described from early years through to Year 6 at federation level. For an infant school, what matters is how that intent translates into daily routines: phonics, early language development, counting and number sense, handwriting and sentence construction, and the wider curriculum that gives pupils something meaningful to read and write about.

The inspection summary points to a typical improvement challenge: leaders have designed what pupils should learn, but the day-to-day delivery has not yet become consistent enough across subjects, and teachers have not always used activities and resources to help pupils connect new learning to prior knowledge.

For pupils with SEND, the direction is again positive but uneven. Identification systems have improved, yet classroom adaptations and activity choices do not always allow pupils to meet the same ambitious aims as peers. This is an area to probe if your child needs structured, reliable adjustments rather than informal support.

As an infant school, the main transition point is into Key Stage 2 at age 7. The school is federated with the adjoining Riders Junior School, which creates a natural next step for many families, and usually makes it easier to align curriculum thinking and pastoral support across the move into Year 3.

For parents, the practical question is less about named destinations and more about readiness. Strong phonics, secure number knowledge, and good routines around attention and behaviour are the foundations that help children start junior school with confidence.

Applications for Reception entry are coordinated through Hampshire County Council rather than directly with the school. For September 2026 entry, the school’s admissions page states that applications open on 1 November 2025, the deadline is midnight on 15 January 2026, and offers are notified on 16 April 2026.

Demand levels can fluctuate year to year, but the latest recorded figures indicate the school has been oversubscribed, with 18 applications and 13 offers and around 1.38 applications per place.

The strongest reassurance is safeguarding. The 13 and 14 June 2023 Ofsted inspection stated that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Beyond safeguarding, the wider pastoral picture is practical and community-facing. The inspection evidence describes pupils feeling safe, staff responding quickly to concerns, and bullying not being tolerated. Attendance has been a focus, with a continued challenge around persistent absence; families should expect active follow-up and structured support where attendance slips.

There are also interventions designed to engage pupils and families, including forest school and cookery as part of the wider support offer referenced in the inspection narrative.

The inspection evidence points to multiple sports clubs and trips used to enrich pupils’ understanding of the local environment. What makes this more tangible is the detail in the wraparound and clubs information published by the federation.

For younger pupils, clubs listed include an infant cheerleading club (for early years and Years 1 to 2), Drawing Club, Cooking Club, and Computing Club. That mix is useful at infant age because it balances physical confidence, creativity, practical life skills, and early digital confidence, without putting pressure on formal performance.

Breakfast club itself has a simple structure that suits young children: a predictable routine, a meal, then calm activities such as reading and board games before the school day begins.

The published school day timings are clear. Doors open at 8:35am, the school day starts at 8:45am, and the day ends at 3:15pm.

Wraparound is available. Breakfast club runs from 7:30am and costs £1.50 per session, with after-school clubs running from 3:15pm and typically finishing between 4:15pm and 4:45pm depending on the activity.

Travel and parking arrangements are not set out in detail reviewed; families usually benefit from doing a trial run at drop-off time to check traffic pinch points in Leigh Park and the walking route that feels realistic with a Reception child. Leigh Park sits within Havant, so local bus links and short car journeys are common patterns for many families.

• Quality of education consistency. Curriculum design has been overhauled, but delivery across subjects has not yet been consistent enough, and checking of pupils’ understanding has not always been sharp enough. This matters most if you want predictable classroom quality year on year.

• SEND adaptations. Identification work has improved, but classroom adaptations have not always allowed pupils with SEND to meet the same ambitious curriculum aims as peers. Families should ask directly how staff adjust tasks and how impact is monitored.

• Workload and pace of change. Staff workload was highlighted as too high, with multiple initiatives running at once. If you are choosing between local schools, ask how priorities are being simplified so improvements embed rather than constantly shift.

• Local reorganisation proposals. Hampshire County Council published notices and consultation materials in 2025 relating to potential school reorganisation involving this school and nearby provision. Families should check the latest position as part of any medium-term plan.

Riders Infant School has the ingredients many families value in an infant setting: a safe culture, generally positive behaviour, and clear attention to early reading and maths. The limiting factor is consistency across the wider curriculum and the need to secure reliable adaptations for pupils with SEND while keeping workload manageable.

Best suited to families in Leigh Park who want a structured start to school life, value wraparound options, and are willing to engage with a school in active improvement. Entry remains the primary hurdle when year groups are oversubscribed.