New Milton Infant School Review 2026: An infant school where reading culture and outdoor learning are central

For an infant school (ages 4 to 7), headline Key Stage 2 results do not apply, and national performance tables are not the main lens parents need. What matters more is how well pupils learn to read, write, and develop number sense before moving into junior school.

The most recent full inspection (April 2023) judged the school Good overall, with Good in Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development, Leadership and Management, and Early Years Provision. For families, that pattern points to consistency rather than a single standout department. It suggests that the essentials are in place across the board, including early years practice, classroom climate, and leadership oversight.

Two improvement priorities from the same report are worth taking seriously because they connect directly to day-to-day experience for pupils. First, curriculum implementation was not always as strong as intended, meaning some learning was not maximised at times. Second, attendance for some pupils was not regular enough, limiting access to the full curriculum. These are practical questions to probe when you visit: how staff are supported to teach the intended curriculum, and what the school does when attendance begins to slip.

Parents comparing local options can use FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages and Comparison Tool to view nearby schools side-by-side and keep notes on what matters most at infant age, reading, behaviour routines, and communication.

Early years is described with a strong emphasis on environment and play-based exploration, without losing sight of direct teaching. Reception is organised into two straight Year R classes with a shared indoor communal area and a large outdoor space that includes features such as a mud kitchen and balance bikes. The implication for families is simple: children who learn best through movement, making, and talk have plenty of structured opportunities to do so, while staff still maintain routines that build independence.

Reading is not treated as a bolt-on. The school’s literacy pages foreground reading for pleasure and a culture of regular reading engagement, supported by classroom book corners, weekly use of the Library Bus, and a calendar of reading events. This matters because early fluency is strongly linked to confidence across the curriculum. If your child is already an eager reader, this kind of culture can accelerate them; if they are reluctant, it increases the chance that reading becomes a normal social activity rather than a solitary chore.

Outdoor learning is positioned as part of the offer, not an occasional treat. The school describes Forest School sessions and outlines activities that typically include den building, campfire cooking, woodcraft and nature identification. For many pupils, especially at 4 to 7, these experiences can improve language, teamwork and resilience in ways that classroom-only provision cannot. The best question to ask is frequency: how often each year group gets outdoor learning, and how it is staffed and risk-managed.

As an infant school, the main transition point is into Year 3 at a junior school. This school sits alongside New Milton Junior School in practical day-to-day ways, breakfast provision is run by the junior school and pupils are escorted across the school field, and after-school wraparound is described as serving children from both schools. That suggests a local pattern where many families consider the move to the neighbouring junior school as the natural next step.

The key point for parents is procedural: Year 3 places are a separate admissions round, and an infant-to-junior transfer still needs an application through the local authority route rather than being automatic. If you are moving into the area, or you are considering a change of school mid-phase, ask directly how transition liaison works and what support is in place for pupils who find change difficult.

The school is a Hampshire local authority maintained infant school, and applications for Reception are handled through the coordinated admissions route for the council area you live in. The school’s own admissions guidance highlights that families can apply even if they live outside the immediate council area, but you apply via the authority where you pay council tax.

For September 2026 entry, Hampshire County Council published these main round dates for Year R: applications opened 01 November 2025, the deadline was 15 January 2026, and on-time applicants were notified on 16 April 2026. The school also notes that its formal tour programme for that round had ended, but it was still arranging personal tours for late applicants or families changing preferences.

Demand is material. The latest available admissions figures show 78 applications for 50 offers for the Reception entry route, which is 1.56 applications per place, and the school was oversubscribed. Practically, that means families should be realistic about first preference strategy and have a sensible second and third choice.

Safeguarding leadership is clearly signposted through named roles, with the headteacher as Designated Safeguarding Lead and a wider deputy safeguarding team including senior staff and wraparound leadership. For parents, this matters because infant safeguarding is not only about serious incidents; it is also about attendance patterns, family support, online safety basics, and helping young children name worries early.

The school’s wider wellbeing approach is visible through practical structures. It publishes support for families such as a family support worker role and resources linked to emotional wellbeing, and it explicitly teaches online safety and independence routines from early years, reflecting what the inspection report describes in its personal development narrative.

One pastoral issue worth asking about is attendance. The latest inspection points to a group of pupils whose attendance was not regular enough, with a recommendation that leadership intensifies support for vulnerable pupils and families. If your child has medical needs, anxiety, or a complex family situation, it is sensible to discuss how attendance is monitored and how early intervention works.

For an infant school, extracurricular life should be judged on appropriateness and access, not on volume. The school publishes a structured menu of after-school enrichment clubs, and the named list gives a good sense of the balance between creative and active provision. Examples include Drawing Club, Music Making Club, Arts and Crafts Club, Multi-Sports Club, Gymnastics Club, Lego Club, Spanish Club, Story Club, Football Club, Tennis Club, and Musical Theatre.

There is also a clear reading enrichment strand that goes beyond clubs. The Library Bus model is unusual, and the school describes weekly class sessions on the bus combined with story time and library skills. On top of that, the reading programme references events such as Reading Champions and “Books before School”, plus book fairs and author visits. The implication is that literacy is treated as a shared culture, which can be very effective at this age.

Fundraising also plays a practical role in widening opportunities. The parent and carer “Friends” group is described as supporting items such as playground equipment, coach costs for trips, and special visitors including theatre groups and animal visits. That is a useful indicator of community engagement, and it can make a tangible difference to enrichment in a state setting.

The school day is clearly published. Gates open at 08.40, class doors open at 08.45 and close at 08.55, with the day ending at 15.15.

Wraparound care is available through a combined model with the neighbouring junior school. Breakfast club runs from 07.45 until school starts, and the infant pupils are accompanied across the school field by staff. After school, Twilight Club operates on the infant site from 15.20 until 17.00 or 18.00, with published session prices.

Lunch is simpler than many parents expect at this phase. The school explains that infant pupils are entitled to a free school meal under the universal infant scheme.

• Oversubscription pressure. The latest admissions figures show 78 applications for 50 offers for Reception entry, so preference strategy matters and a strong second choice is sensible.

• Curriculum consistency is an active focus. The most recent inspection highlights that the curriculum was not always implemented as well as intended, and leadership was advised to strengthen staff knowledge and skills so learning is maximised more consistently.

• Attendance expectations may require support for some families. The same inspection identifies attendance for some pupils as a challenge; families with health or welfare complexities should ask how early help and attendance support are delivered.

• Infant-only age range. Transition to Year 3 is an additional decision point. The practical links with the neighbouring junior school are clear through shared wraparound arrangements, but junior transfer still requires planning and application.

This is a Good infant school with a clear public identity: reading culture, early language support, and outdoor learning as part of normal provision. It should suit families who want a structured start to schooling, with strong routines and practical wraparound options. The main challenge is securing a place in an oversubscribed context, and being confident that the approach to curriculum consistency and attendance support fits your child’s needs.