Priory Infant School

This is a small community infant school serving young children from Reception to Year 2, with a clear emphasis on early reading, strong routines, and a supportive approach to wellbeing. The school’s published vision stresses an engaging curriculum, partnership with families, and an inclusive culture with high expectations for all pupils.

The latest Ofsted inspection, published 14 September 2023 after visits on 20 and 21 June 2023, confirmed the school remains Good and that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

For families needing childcare either side of the school day, there is wraparound provision from 8:00am in the Breakfast Club and to 5:15pm in the Tea-time Club, both run on site.

The tone here is deliberately calm and purposeful. Expectations are framed in simple, child-friendly language, pupils are taught how to be safe, kind, and ready to learn, and staff keep behaviour consistent through routines that make sense to very young children.

Pastoral support is not treated as a bolt-on. A whole-school Thrive approach underpins emotional development, with a designated wellbeing mentor working with children through individual or small-group sessions when needed. The intent is practical, helping children build emotional literacy and self-regulation so they can settle into learning and friendships.

In class, children are expected to concentrate and to participate. The most recent inspection describes pupils who listen attentively, focus on problem-solving in mathematics, and become absorbed in art and design projects, including work linked to contemporary artists. The same report notes multiple reading areas around the school, a small but telling detail, because it signals that books are part of daily life rather than reserved for lesson time.

Leadership has also been in motion in recent years. The current headteacher is Mrs Clare Sellwood, as shown on the school’s staffing information and other official listings.

Because this is an infant school, pupils move on to junior provision before the end of Key Stage 2 assessments. For parents, that changes how “results” should be interpreted. The most meaningful indicators at this stage are the quality of early reading, curriculum coherence, and how effectively children learn routines and behaviours that set them up for Year 3 and beyond.

Reading is the standout academic thread running through the school’s published curriculum information and external evaluation. Phonics is taught through a structured programme, and reading practice sessions are planned with a clear focus on decoding, fluency, and comprehension, with children taught in small groups by trained adults.

Mathematics is also described as a priority subject, with teaching refined so staff know precisely what pupils need to learn and revisit, and lessons built around frequent retrieval to secure long-term understanding.

A balanced note is that curriculum development is continuous work. The most recent inspection flags that some foundation subjects still required sharper identification of essential knowledge so teachers can revisit it systematically over time. That matters to families who want broad early learning, not only literacy and numeracy.

Early reading is treated as core craft. The school’s approach is systematic and structured, starting in Reception and building over time through planned progression and assessment-led grouping. Reading practice is scheduled three times each week, with books matched to children’s secure phonic knowledge, which reduces guessing and helps children experience success early.

Writing is anchored in a book-based curriculum approach, designed to build vocabulary and composition through high-quality texts. For parents, the practical implication is that literacy is taught as both skill and meaning-making, not simply handwriting and spelling drills.

The curriculum also uses local context to make learning stick. The inspection report describes pupils learning about their locality by researching how building styles changed through a visit to Ramsgate Library after it was rebuilt following a fire, and bringing a Second World War topic to life through a visit to Ramsgate Tunnels. These are strong examples of learning that connects classroom work to real places children can picture and remember.

In art, the same report describes Year 2 pupils recalling details about Vincent van Gogh and discussing changes in palette across periods, a reminder that foundation subjects can be taught with genuine substance even at infant level.

The main transition point is the move to junior school for Year 3. The school’s published admissions policy is explicit that attendance here does not guarantee a junior school place, and families must make a separate application for junior transfer.

From a practical planning perspective, this means parents should think about the Year 3 pathway earlier than they might in an all-through primary. Use the FindMySchool Map Search to understand how distance-based criteria play out for likely junior options, and keep an eye on local authority deadlines so the Year 2 to Year 3 handover feels routine rather than rushed.

For children with additional needs, the school describes transition planning that can include personalised visits and transition materials, and additional visits where a child’s needs make change harder.

Admissions for Reception entry are handled through the local authority coordinated system. For the 2027 to 2028 intake across Kent County Council, applications open on 6 November 2026 and close on 15 January 2027, with offers released on 16 April 2027.

The school’s own admissions policy sets an agreed admission number of 60 pupils for Reception. It also lays out oversubscription priorities, including looked-after and previously looked-after children, siblings, social or medical need with supporting professional evidence, and then nearness of home measured using address point data.

Demand is real. Recent Reception entry figures show 83 applications for 34 offers, which is about 2.44 applications per place, consistent with an oversubscribed picture. That typically means families should treat this as a “plan early” option, even if they live locally.

Open events follow a predictable rhythm. The school states that open days are typically held during November and December each year, ahead of local authority applications.

The school’s wellbeing offer is structured rather than ad hoc. The Thrive approach is used to identify emotional development needs early and to provide targeted support through 1:1 or group sessions, alongside whole-class Thrive work shaped to the needs of each class.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is also clearly explained in the school’s published SEND information. Staff training is described as ongoing, and the school notes that participation in trips and wider activities is expected for all pupils, with adjustments and risk assessments used to remove barriers. In the small number of cases where intensive 1:1 support is required, families may be asked to accompany a child on a specific activity or visit.

Safeguarding procedures are described in the most recent inspection as effective, with staff trained to recognise risks and leaders acting quickly and persistently when external help is slow.

The school uses sport and active play as a big part of its wider offer, which makes sense for infant-age children who learn through movement as much as instruction. The school’s Sports Premium planning references a Change4Life club and whole-school events such as Healthy Living Day and National Fitness Day, as well as funded coaching to broaden access to activity.

There is also evidence of structured enrichment beyond the timetable. The most recent inspection notes extra-curricular opportunities including dodgeball, athletics, and music, plus inter-school tournaments. For families, this matters because it signals that “clubs” are not only for older pupils, and that confidence-building experiences are available early.

School-led sporting events and festivals add further texture. The school’s sports news includes participation in speed stacking competitions and themed days that celebrate specific sports values through challenges like a mile-long school challenge and skipping or jumping activities. These are age-appropriate ways to build teamwork and persistence without over-formalising competition.

Trips are used to deepen curriculum learning. The inspection report references a visit to Wingham Wildlife Park to make learning about animals engaging and memorable.

The school day is clearly set out. Gates open at 8:45am, and the school finishes at 3:15pm, with lunchtime running from 12:00pm to 1:00pm.

Wraparound care is available on site. Breakfast Club runs from 8:00am, and Tea-time Club runs from 3:15pm to 5:15pm, both provided within school spaces used specifically for this purpose.

As a state school, there are no tuition fees. Families should still plan for typical costs such as uniform and optional clubs or childcare sessions.

• It is an infant school, so Year 3 planning matters. Children do not automatically move on to junior provision, and families must submit a separate application for the next stage.

• Oversubscription is a real constraint. With demand running above available places in recent figures, admissions can be competitive even for local families.

• Curriculum refinement is ongoing in some subjects. The most recent inspection highlights the need for sharper definition of key knowledge in some foundation areas, which can affect how consistently content is revisited.

• Wraparound care has defined end times. Tea-time Club finishes at 5:15pm, so families needing later childcare will need an additional plan.

This is a well-structured infant school that puts early reading, routines, and emotional support at the centre of daily practice. It suits families who want a calm, consistent start to school life, with clear behaviour expectations and accessible wellbeing support alongside a structured phonics-led reading approach. The main practical challenge is admissions competition and the need to plan ahead for the Year 3 move into junior schooling.