Highbury Infant School and Nursery Review 2026: A small, purposeful start for ages 3 to 7 in Hitchin

The school has made early reading a central priority, including a phonics scheme introduced in September 2022 for Reception to Year 2 and backed by staff training and parent information. The educational takeaway is that literacy is being treated as a whole-school system, not a set of isolated classroom practices, which usually leads to greater consistency for children across classes.

Mathematics is described for mastery, with common learning goals supported by varied resources so that different learners can reach the same endpoint. For parents, the point is not simply “good at maths”, it is the method: practical representations, careful checking, and a route to explaining thinking by Year 2.

The curriculum story starts in early years. Nursery and Reception follow the Early Years Foundation Stage, with the seven areas of learning and a clear emphasis on communication, language, and personal development. That matters because the early years phase is where the school sets expectations for how children listen, speak, and learn alongside others.

A notable feature is the explicit use of rhymes and songs to build language and communication in Nursery and Reception. This is not decorative. For three and four-year-olds, rhythm and repetition are proven routes into vocabulary, attention, and confidence with speaking, which then feeds directly into phonics readiness.

Parents should also pay attention to breadth. Planning is in place across subjects, including commercially sourced schemes in some areas, and leaders have worked to keep curriculum thinking joined up between early years and Key Stage 1. The trade-off highlighted in the same review is that, in some wider subjects, the emphasis can tilt towards completing activities rather than raising the quality of responses. For families, that is a useful question to test at an open event: how does the school check for depth of understanding beyond finishing a task?

Because Highbury is an infant school (up to age 7), the main transition point is from Year 2 into Year 3 at a junior school. Highbury is listed by Hertfordshire as having a linked junior school, Whitehill Junior School, for allocation purposes.

That “linked” status does not mean an automatic place, but it does signal a formal relationship in admissions rules and transition planning. The wider implication for families is practical: it is worth researching the junior-school step early, not as an afterthought in Year 2.

The transition relationship is also reinforced by shared staffing links mentioned in external review material, which can help continuity for children, particularly those who benefit from familiar adults or consistent SEN approaches.

Highbury has two distinct entry routes, and they work differently.

Reception entry (September 2026) is coordinated through Hertfordshire’s primary admissions process. The key dates are clear: the online system opens 3 November 2025, the on-time deadline is 15 January 2026, and national allocation day is 16 April 2026. Open events are typically held in November and December, which fits how most families plan visits.

Demand is strong. For the entry route measured, 149 applications were recorded for 60 offers, which aligns with the school’s published admission number of 60. This level of competition means families should treat distance, sibling criteria, and any other oversubscription rules as central, not secondary.

Nursery entry (2026 to 2027) is run directly by the school as a separate process. For the 2026 to 2027 nursery intake, applications open on Wednesday 28 January 2026 and close on Friday 6 March 2026, with offers made on Thursday 12 March 2026. The school also states it has 52 nursery places, mixing part-time and 30-hour places.

A practical tip: if you are considering both nursery and Reception, treat them as linked decisions but not a guaranteed pathway. Nursery attendance does not automatically translate into a Reception place in most state systems, so plan your Reception application as if you were applying from outside.

Parents comparing options should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check practical travel distance and typical routes, then sanity-check those against the local authority criteria for your application year.

Wellbeing is addressed through both culture and systems. Peer support structures for pupils who feel lonely, and the wider focus on confidence and resilience, are the kinds of details that usually signal a school taking early childhood development seriously.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described as a strength, with careful adaptation in teaching so pupils can cover the same learning while receiving the help they need. For parents navigating SEN, the practical question to ask is how support is scheduled day to day, and how the school communicates small adjustments before they become bigger problems.

Safeguarding arrangements are described as effective, with strong record-keeping and prompt action where concerns arise. For families, that should translate into clear routines, predictable supervision, and staff confidence in the basics.

For an infant school, enrichment often looks less like “clubs every day” and more like purposeful experiences layered into the week. Here, there are a few named pieces of provision that help the picture feel concrete.

One is Feeling Good Club, described as offering extra-curricular activities including Spanish, computing, and forest school. The value of this sort of programme is less about ticking enrichment boxes, and more about widening children’s vocabulary and experience early, which can lift confidence for pupils who are still finding their voice in class.

Another is the school’s explicit focus on community safety education. The school has run a road safety campaign called Don’t be a Road Monster, tied to wider work on parking and safe travel routines. For parents, this can be a helpful sign of a school that treats everyday risks as part of learning, not just a letter home.

A third pillar is wraparound. While not “extracurricular” in the traditional sense, it matters enormously for working families. Highbury’s Breakfast Club is run in-house, and the after-school offer is delivered through Cookie Club until early evening.

The main school day timings are published as doors opening at 8.50am for the start of the day, with the end of the day at 3.10pm. Nursery sessions are shown as 9.00am to 12.00pm (morning) and 12.10pm to 3.10pm (afternoon).

Wraparound is available. Breakfast Club runs Monday to Friday from 7.45am to 8.45am, with breakfast served until 8.30am, and it is priced per session. After-school care is available through Cookie Club until 6.15pm on weekdays.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual extras, such as uniform, trips, and optional activities. Nursery fee details are published by the school; for early years pricing, check the school’s own information.

• Competition for Reception places. With 149 applications for 60 offers in the entry route data, admission can be the limiting factor. Families should read Hertfordshire’s oversubscription criteria carefully and plan backups.

• Curriculum depth in some subjects. Wider-subject planning is in place, but external review material notes that expectations for the quality of pupils’ work could be more ambitious in some areas. Ask how teachers check for understanding beyond completing an activity.

• Wraparound demand. Breakfast and after-school options exist, but places can be limited in popular settings. If you will rely on wraparound, clarify availability early.

• Music resourcing. Provision is described as limited by a small range of tuned percussion instruments, which may matter to families hoping for stronger early music experiences.

Highbury Infant School and Nursery offers a structured, evidence-led early education that places reading, language, and wellbeing central to daily life. The setting suits families who want a clear start for ages 3 to 7, with strong routines, practical pastoral systems, and an early literacy focus. The main hurdle is securing a Reception place in a competitive admissions context, so families should shortlist carefully and use FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature to keep options organised.