Darrick Wood Infant & Nursery School Review 2026: Outstanding early years and Key Stage 1, with specialist deaf provision on site

What parents can usefully take from the available evidence is the strength of external evaluation. The December 2023 Ofsted inspection judged the school Outstanding overall and Outstanding for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.

For families comparing local options, this is the point where it helps to shift from raw results to learning design. Infant schools that do well tend to be strong on curriculum sequencing, early reading, language development, and consistent routines, because these are the levers that matter most between Nursery and Year 2. The school’s own content strongly emphasises curriculum planning and early reading resources.

The teaching model is built around establishing core learning habits early. The Head of School’s welcome sets out an intention for children to leave as confident individuals, successful learners, and responsible citizens, which is a helpful shorthand for what the school values in Nursery, Reception, and Key Stage 1.

Early reading is positioned as a priority, with dedicated reading resources (including the school’s Bug Club materials) made easily accessible for families. The practical implication is that parents who want a structured approach to phonics and reading at home are likely to find the school’s guidance straightforward to follow.

For children with additional needs, the picture is more specialised than many infant settings. The school’s SEND information highlights joint working and integrated support, including specialist teaching for children with hearing impairment and access to speech and language support as part of the wider sensory support offer.

Transition is simpler here than it is for many infant schools because there is a clear local pathway. The school describes close links with the junior school and a structured transition process between the two settings.

For Bromley families, infant to junior progression is also shaped by the borough’s linked arrangements, where attendance at the infant school can provide priority in Year 3 admissions to the linked junior school, subject to the local authority’s determined criteria and the child remaining eligible within the admissions round.

For children supported via the Primary Deaf Base at Griffins, the broader sensory support pathway is designed to span primary years, with the Primary Deaf Base (3 to 11) and the Deaf Centre at the secondary school continuing support later, where an EHCP names the relevant placement.

Reception admission is coordinated through the London Borough of Bromley’s process, rather than directly through the school. Bromley confirms that applications for Reception places for September 2026 opened on 01 September 2025, with the national closing date of 15 January 2026 and offer day on 16 April 2026.

The school’s determined admissions policy sets out the priorities used when places are oversubscribed, including looked-after and previously looked-after children, sibling links across the infant and junior schools, a staff criterion, and then proximity measured by the local authority’s distance methodology.

The demand indicators in the provided admissions results suggest a competitive intake. With 352 applications and 87 offers recorded, and the school marked oversubscribed, families should assume that a strong local address and correct application timing matter.

Nursery admissions work differently. The school’s nursery information states that children are admitted the term after their third birthday, and it references the universal 15 funded hours for three and four year olds, with 30 hours for eligible families.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place, and parents still need to apply through the local authority for Reception entry.

Open events are handled through parent tours. The school advertises prospective parent tours in the autumn term ahead of the Bromley admissions deadline, which is a useful pattern for parents planning a September start.

Pastoral expectations are communicated in concrete ways, which is often what parents of younger children value most. The FAQs explain routines around absence reporting, lunchtime supervision, and safeguarding controls such as locked gates after morning drop-off and controlled entry for visitors.

On wellbeing, the school hosts a safeguarding area that signposts families to reputable guidance and support, and it explicitly links this to keeping children safe online and supporting emotional health in age-appropriate ways.

SEND leadership roles are clearly signposted, including a named SEN manager, and the school describes separate processes for children with an EHCP, which matters for families navigating specialist placements.

Enrichment at this age works best when it is simple, consistent, and genuinely optional. The school’s extra-curricular page points parents to a clubs timetable and names at least one specific provider-led club, Kaigaishii Karate School, which gives a concrete example of what “clubs” means in practice.

Lunch and play are treated as part of the wider development offer rather than downtime. The FAQs describe on-site cooked lunches, active play options, and structured supervision, including indoor alternatives during poor weather. For younger pupils, that detail matters because it shapes the tone of the whole day.

For children in specialist hearing impairment provision, enrichment is also about access. The Primary Deaf Base model is explicit about mainstream inclusion where possible, supported by qualified specialist staff, which can widen participation in the full life of the school rather than separating pupils into a parallel track.

The school sets out start and finish times by year group, which is particularly helpful for working families:

• Reception: 8.55am to 3.20pm

• Year 1: 8.55am to 3.25pm

• Year 2: 8.55am to 3.30pm

Wraparound childcare is available via an external provider, Junior Adventures Group, referenced in the school FAQs as the before and after-school club operator. Families should check availability and current pricing directly with the provider.

The school also publishes a travel plan and encourages families to engage with it when planning journeys, which is worth doing early if you expect to rely on walking or public transport routes at peak times.

• Competition for Reception places. The school is marked oversubscribed in the available admissions results, with 352 applications for 87 offers recorded. If you are set on this option, apply on time and make sure your address evidence is correct.

• Nursery does not guarantee Reception. Attendance in the nursery does not automatically secure a Reception place, and the Reception application still goes through the local authority.

• Specialist provision is a major feature. The presence of the Primary Deaf Base at Griffins is a real strength for the right children, but it also means families should be clear whether they are seeking mainstream entry, specialist EHCP-led placement, or a blended model of support.

• Wraparound is provider-run. Before and after-school care is delivered by an external organisation, so booking processes, session structures, and availability sit outside the school’s direct control.

This is a high-performing, highly sought-after infant and nursery setting with a strong reputation for behaviour, curriculum planning, and inclusion. Best suited to families who want a structured start to schooling, are comfortable with competitive Reception admissions, and value the additional specialist deaf and sensory support offer available on site.