East Preston Infant School

Outdoor learning is not an add-on here, it is a defining feature. Forest School and Beach School sit alongside a carefully sequenced curriculum and a strong emphasis on language and early reading. The site itself supports that approach, with outdoor classrooms, a Forest School area, and features such as wildlife ponds, vegetable gardens, a music garden, and an orchard.

Leadership is stable, with Mrs Claire New as headteacher. In June 2025, Ofsted graded the school Good across all inspection areas, including early years provision.

For families, the practical headline is demand. Reception entry is handled through West Sussex’s coordinated admissions process, and recent figures show more applicants than places.

The school’s culture is built around predictable routines and a shared language for behaviour and learning. Pupils are expected to understand what good learning looks like, and the wider adult team reinforces expectations so that attention can stay on learning rather than constant correction. This tends to suit children who thrive with structure, clear boundaries, and adults who use consistent prompts.

The rights respecting ethos is not treated as a poster exercise. It shows up in how pupils describe kindness and belonging, and in the way the school talks about rules as something everyone can understand and follow. A strong pupil voice is also visible through pupil leadership roles, including Eco Council membership across the school.

Outdoor learning is central to identity and daily experience. Forest School is framed as regular, practical learning in a natural setting, with activities that build independence and confidence. Examples include den and shelter making, problem solving tasks, and fire safety work, alongside fine motor and creative activities such as whittling willow and making instruments. Beach School extends the same philosophy to the coast, using local access as an ongoing learning resource.

As an infant school (ages 5 to 7), the standard SATs-based Key Stage 2 outcome measures do not apply in the same way they do for junior or primary schools, so headline league-style comparisons are naturally limited.

The best current evidence comes from curriculum quality and how well pupils are prepared for the next stage. The June 2025 inspection describes a well designed curriculum that builds knowledge over time, with clear attention to vocabulary, sequencing, and the needs of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Early reading is a strength in the way it is organised and prioritised. Staff are described as well trained in the phonics programme, with daily extra practice targeted for pupils who need it, and whole school reading events used to keep reading visible and enjoyable.

The curriculum is set up to give teachers clarity about what knowledge and vocabulary matter most, which supports consistency between classes and year groups. In practical terms, this kind of precision often benefits families who want predictable progression rather than a loose, topic-led feel.

Early years provision is designed around language and communication, with a focus on quality adult child conversation during learning and play. That matters because early language competence drives later confidence in reading comprehension, writing, and broader curriculum access.

The main developmental point to watch is how consistently assessment is used to adapt work, and how reliably spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors are corrected as pupils move through the school. Both are identified as areas where consistency can slip, which can affect how quickly children consolidate accuracy in writing.

Most pupils will move on to East Preston Junior School, which shares the same site. The relationship between the two schools is described as strong, with regular liaison to support transition.

For parents, the practical advantage of a shared site is familiarity. Children often transition more confidently when buildings, play spaces, and some routines already feel known. The best step is to ask specifically how Year 2 transition is handled each year, including any joint events, visits, or shared pastoral handover.

Reception admissions are coordinated by West Sussex rather than handled directly by the school. For September 2027 entry, applications open from week beginning 5 October 2026, the published deadline is 15 January 2027, and offer notification is on 16 April 2027.

Open mornings for prospective Reception starters are listed during October to January, with sessions in mid October and November, plus a January date.

Demand is material. Recent application and offer figures indicate oversubscription, with roughly two applications per place in the reported year. Families considering this route should use FindMySchool’s Map Search to understand how admissions criteria interact with where you live, especially in years where the margin is tight.

Safeguarding leadership is clearly defined, with a designated safeguarding lead and named deputies, and the school sets out its safeguarding approach and reporting routes.

Pastoral care is also reinforced through behaviour culture. The emphasis is on pupils understanding expectations and being supported to refocus quickly. For many children that predictability is calming, particularly at ages where transitions and peer dynamics can quickly overwhelm.

SEND identification and support is described as systematic, with bespoke support intended to help pupils access the same ambitious curriculum as peers. Families with known needs should ask how support looks day to day in class, and how progress and next steps are reviewed with parents.

Outdoor learning is the standout pillar and is unusually specific. The site includes a Forest School area with a fire circle, mud kitchen, canopies, and an outdoor classroom, alongside wider grounds features such as an adventure play trail, wildlife ponds, an orchard, vegetable gardens, a daffodil maze, and a large field. The practical implication is that children who learn best through doing, building, and exploring often get more chances to show what they can do, not only through written tasks.

Clubs add a second layer of breadth. Current examples include choir, cooking, gymnastics, football, and martial arts, with some sessions scheduled before school and others after school. For an infant school, that range can be useful for confidence and coordination, especially when a child is still working out where they fit socially.

Pupil leadership and community links also matter at this age. Eco Council is a consistent theme, and the inspection describes pupils taking on responsibilities and engaging in activities that build an early sense of citizenship.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The published school day includes playground gates opening at 8.30am, registration at 8.55am, and the end of the school day at 3.15pm.

Wraparound childcare information is best checked carefully. The school’s own wraparound page provides general guidance rather than a full on-page timetable. An on-site out-of-school provision, East Preston Activity Hub, operates within the infant school site and is described as running before school from 7.30am to 8.45am and after school from 3.15pm to 6pm in term time, with holiday opening also listed in its inspection report.

For transport, the key local question is usually walkability from East Preston and nearby residential areas, plus safe drop-off and pick-up flow given the shared site with the junior school.

• Assessment consistency. The latest inspection points to some inconsistency in checking what pupils know before moving them on, which can affect how well work is adapted for every child.

• Writing accuracy over time. Spelling, punctuation, and grammar corrections are not always addressed consistently across the school, which can allow repeated errors to persist.

• Oversubscription. Recent admissions figures indicate competition for places, so families should treat admission as the main constraint and plan accordingly.

• Outdoor learning fit. Forest School and Beach School are a strong part of the experience. Children who dislike getting messy or are anxious about outdoor conditions may need extra support to settle into this aspect.

East Preston Infant School suits families who want a structured early years and Key Stage 1 experience, with outdoor learning used as a serious teaching tool rather than occasional enrichment. The combination of a sequenced curriculum, a clear behaviour culture, and distinctive Forest and Beach School provision makes the school feel purposeful and child-centred. Who it suits: children who respond well to routines and learn strongly through practical exploration, especially those who gain confidence when learning is taken outside.