Trafalgar Community Infant School

Trafalgar Community Infant School serves Reception to Year 2 in Horsham, with a clear focus on early reading, language development, and learning through purposeful play. The day starts with classroom doors opening at 8:50am and registration at 9:00am, and finishes at 3:15pm, which suits families who value a predictable routine. The site layout is a practical strength for younger pupils, with classrooms arranged around a secure inner garden used heavily by Reception for daily outdoor learning.

Leadership is stable. Miss Fiona Hickie is the headteacher, becoming full-time headteacher in September 2023. The latest Ofsted inspection, carried out on 30 and 31 January 2024 and published on 07 March 2024, confirmed the school continues to be Good.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still expect the usual costs, such as uniform, trips, and optional clubs.

The strongest clue to Trafalgar’s character is its deliberate use of outdoor space as part of the day, rather than as a break from it. Reception pupils use the secure central garden daily, and the school describes this as a way to extend classroom learning, whatever the weather. That matters at infant level, because it signals an EYFS approach that expects children to learn through structured talk, movement, exploration, and practice, not only through table work.

Outdoor provision is broader than a single play area. The school highlights grassy space, tarmac playgrounds, adventure play equipment, gardening areas, and an outdoor theatre. These named elements give a sense of a setting that prioritises communication and confidence, with spaces that support performance, storytelling, and cooperative play, alongside the more traditional climbing and running.

Woodland Time is a distinctive thread. The school presents it as a regular experience in which pupils work collaboratively while learning about the natural world, with examples including bug hunts, plant classification, natural paint-making, and weaving. In practical terms, this kind of routine builds vocabulary and observation skills early, and it can be especially helpful for children who learn best through doing, rather than listening for long stretches.

As an infant school (up to age 7), Trafalgar does not publish the same end of Key Stage 2 performance measures that parents see for junior and primary schools with Year 6. The most useful academic indicators here are the quality of teaching in early reading and the consistency of routines that help pupils make rapid early progress.

A key data point is the most recent Ofsted position. The school is currently graded Good, and the latest inspection confirmed it continues to be Good following inspection in January 2024, with the report published in March 2024.

For families comparing early years settings, the right question is less about headline test percentages and more about whether the reading programme, language support, and classroom culture are strong enough to set up a smooth transition into Year 3. Trafalgar’s published approach to phonics and its structured wraparound offer useful signals here.

Early reading is a clear priority. Trafalgar teaches phonics through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, one of the Department for Education validated systematic synthetic phonics programmes. That choice matters because it is designed to be consistent across classes, with tightly sequenced sounds, decodable books aligned to teaching, and routine practice to build automaticity. For parents, this typically translates into fewer mixed messages at home and a more predictable reading journey, especially in Reception and Year 1.

The school also emphasises language development alongside phonics, which is a sensible pairing at infant level. Strong speaking and listening routines tend to show up later in writing, comprehension, and confidence in class discussion.

Learning is not framed as only literacy and maths. The curriculum pages show the expected breadth for this age range, and the school explicitly describes its Reception daily outdoor learning in the inner garden, plus Woodland Time as a structured programme rather than an occasional enrichment activity.

Transition is unusually clear for an infant school, because pupils leave after Year 2. Trafalgar states that the majority of children move in Year 3 to Greenway Junior School, and it describes links that include staff collaboration and a Year 2 transition programme with multiple visits and time to get to know the new teacher. This matters because the biggest risk at infant to junior transfer is not academic capability, it is confidence and familiarity. Regular, planned transition tends to reduce anxiety and help children settle quickly in the larger Key Stage 2 environment.

Families considering Trafalgar should still check how junior school places are allocated locally, and whether sibling links, catchment considerations, or distance patterns affect likely routes, since these can vary year to year.

Admissions are coordinated through West Sussex County Council for Reception entry, not directly by the school. For September 2027 entry, applications open from 5 October 2026, the on-time application deadline is 15 January 2027, and offers are issued on 16 April 2027.

Demand should be checked through the latest admissions information for the relevant year. Families should still treat Trafalgar as a school where preference order, location, and West Sussex oversubscription criteria matter.

No “furthest distance at which a place was offered” figure is provided for this school in the current results, so it is not possible to quantify how far out offers typically reach. A practical next step is to use FindMySchool’s Map Search tool to understand your likely proximity and compare it with the local authority’s published admissions guidance for your cohort year.

Open events are best treated as seasonal. The school has run open afternoons in the past, and these often cluster in late autumn or early winter for Reception entry, but dates change each year. Families should check the school’s calendar and admissions pages for the next scheduled sessions.

For infant schools, pastoral strength is usually revealed in the everyday structures: predictable routines, calm transitions between activities, and adults who know pupils well enough to spot early issues. Trafalgar’s published focus on secure outdoor provision for Reception, and on practical collaborative learning through Woodland Time, aligns well with building self-regulation, turn-taking, and language for feelings, which are foundational at ages 4 to 7.

Safeguarding and wider wellbeing are also reflected in leadership roles and staff training. The headteacher is identified as the Designated Safeguarding Lead in school communications, which supports clarity for parents about responsibility and escalation routes.

After-school and enrichment provision is unusually specific for a small infant school, and it helps families who need childcare coverage or want a varied week.

The school lists a rotating programme of clubs, run half-termly or termly. Examples include Football club, Spanish club, Art club, and KICKS Dance club. It also references other clubs that have run, such as music, Techy Tots, dance, karate, Lego, and multi skills for sport. The implication is that enrichment is not limited to one pillar, it spans physical activity, creative development, and early language exposure.

There is also structured before-school sport provision for specific year groups at points in the year, such as multi skills for sport clubs for Year 1 and Year 2. For pupils who thrive on movement and routine, a short morning club can be a helpful way to start the day regulated and ready to learn.

Woodland Time remains the standout, because it is not a typical “after school option” but part of the learning identity, with clearly described activities that build observation and practical making skills.

The school day structure is clear. Classroom doors open at 8:50am, registration is at 9:00am, and the school day ends at 3:15pm.

Wraparound care exists, including the Rainbow Club offer referenced in school materials. Families who need earlier starts and later finishes should confirm the current pattern directly, since wraparound providers sometimes adjust timetables and holiday cover.

Uniform requirements are published, and the school indicates there is no obligation to buy branded items, which can help keep costs manageable.

For travel and routine, this is a Horsham town setting, so most families will be thinking for walkability, short drives, and local parking constraints at drop-off. It is sensible to trial the journey at peak times before relying on it.

• Infant-only age range. Trafalgar finishes at the end of Year 2. Families who want a single school through to Year 6 will need to be comfortable with a planned transfer into junior provision, even though Trafalgar describes close transition links.

• Competition for places. Reception entry should be planned carefully through West Sussex's coordinated process. Have at least one realistic fallback option in your preferences.

• Limited published “results” metrics. There are no end of Year 6 performance figures for an infant school, so your judgement should focus on phonics approach, language development, behaviour routines, and the quality of transition into Year 3.

• Clubs rotate. The club programme changes half-termly and termly. If a particular club matters for childcare or a child’s interests, check the current term’s offer rather than assuming continuity.

Trafalgar Community Infant School looks best suited to families who want a structured start to school life, with a clear phonics programme, strong use of outdoor learning, and practical transition planning into junior school. The Good Ofsted position underlines a stable core offer, and the published detail on Woodland Time and the inner garden suggests a setting that understands how young children learn. It suits pupils who benefit from hands-on learning and predictable routines. The main challenge is securing a place in an oversubscribed intake, so admissions planning needs to be realistic and early.