Brookland Infant and Nursery School, Waltham Cross Review 2026: A book-led curriculum, Forest School sessions, and a strong community focus

Because the school’s age range ends at Year 2, you should not expect the same kind of headline performance measures used for full primary schools at Key Stage 2. profile, there are no published Key Stage 2 result metrics, and there is no local or England ranking listed for primary outcomes.

So the best evidence of academic quality here is what the school emphasises in its curriculum and what external review confirms about implementation. The latest inspection highlights three academically meaningful points:

• Reading is a stated priority, with staff teaching a structured phonics programme and pupils practising blending and applying sounds in writing, supporting fluent reading.

• Language development is deliberately built in Nursery and Reception, with poetry recital and story-based role-play feeding early writing and vocabulary.

• In most subjects, pupils achieve well and can explain what they have learned, with some curriculum areas newer and not yet fully established, particularly around consistent vocabulary use and checks on how well pupils remember the intended curriculum.

For parents comparing local options, the right question is not “Where does it rank?”, but “What does early learning look like day to day?”. If you are comparing several schools in the area, FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools can still help you line up the practical indicators (inspection timelines, admissions pressure, and phase structure) side by side.

The curriculum direction is clear: early reading and language underpin everything else. A well-sequenced curriculum matters most in an infant school because small gaps in phonics, vocabulary, or number sense compound quickly. The inspection evidence points to teaching that revisits prior learning, builds knowledge in a planned sequence, and makes reading central rather than occasional.

Where this becomes tangible for families is in how children spend their time. In early years, the inspection describes independent and imaginative activities rooted in stories, with adults building language through structured opportunities such as poems learned by heart. In Key Stage 1, the strongest signal is the phonics routine: revisit known sounds, learn new ones, practise blending, then apply that knowledge in writing. That combination tends to suit children who benefit from repetition and clear steps, including many pupils who need extra structure to become confident readers.

The school is also open about areas that need tightening, which is useful to parents who want realism rather than gloss. The inspection notes that, on occasions, independent tasks are not always planned precisely enough for all pupils to complete confidently, and that subject leaders need to check more routinely how well pupils are learning and remembering in some subjects. In a school for young children, that usually translates into sharpening staff consistency and tightening assessment checks, not changing the whole direction.

The most common route is straightforward: the school states that the majority of children transfer to Brookland Junior School at the end of Year 2. That is valuable for families who want continuity, particularly if siblings or friendship groups matter.

It is also worth noting the site context. The school states it shares the wider site with Haileybury Turnford, Lulu’s Pre-school, and Brookland Junior School. For day-to-day family logistics, that can mean a busy, education-focused hub and potential convenience if you have children in more than one setting, though it can also mean traffic and parking pressure at peak times.

Reception entry is coordinated through Hertfordshire County Council. The county’s published timeline for the September 2026 intake is specific: the online system opened on 03 November 2025; the on-time deadline was 15 January 2026; and National Allocation Day is 16 April 2026, with an acceptance deadline of 23 April 2026. The same page sets out late-application rules, including 02 February 2026 as the last date to submit a written explanation for lateness to be potentially treated as on time.

Demand indicators in the provided admissions data show Reception places are competitive: 146 applications for 58 offers, and an oversubscribed status with 2.52 applications per place applications per place.

For Nursery, the pathway is different. The school states it manages nursery admissions directly, with a main intake in September, and it is currently accepting applications for Nursery to start in September 2026. It also explicitly states that attendance at nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. That is important for families assuming a through-route from age three.

The school also notes that it can offer some 30-hour nursery places and works in partnership with Lulu’s, which offers wraparound care for some nursery children. For eligibility rules on funded hours, use the official county childcare guidance rather than relying on hearsay, as criteria can differ by family circumstances.

If you are shortlisting based on proximity, use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check your distance precisely. Even in areas where distance is the main tie-breaker, year-to-year demand shifts mean you should treat any single year of outcomes as context rather than certainty.

Pastoral care at infant level is mostly about routines, relationships, and early independence. The inspection describes staff knowing pupils well and doing their best to meet individual needs, with pupils kept safe and clear behavioural expectations in place. It also describes a positive approach to inclusion, including effective systems to identify and support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, and teachers putting appropriate support in place so pupils can access the curriculum confidently.

A distinctive feature is the wider family support partnership referenced on the school’s own information. The school describes buying into a partnership with CHEXs to provide workshops, parenting courses, counselling and health support. For some families, especially those navigating early years anxiety or broader pressures at home, having a visible route into support can make a measurable difference to attendance and engagement.

For a school with an infant age range, enrichment matters most when it is concrete and accessible rather than elite. The school lists a specific after-school club menu that goes beyond the usual generic “lots of clubs” claim: Football, Lego, Great games (children’s board games), Drawing, Art and Crafts, Yoga and Dance, and Recorder. It also names external providers currently used, including GC Sport and CHEXs Crafts.

Outdoor learning is a second pillar. The school says Forest School sessions run for all children in its own Elmwood Forest, led by a Level 3 Forest School specialist. In practice, that tends to benefit children who learn best through movement and exploration, and it can be especially effective for building language when adults deliberately connect outdoor experiences to vocabulary and storytelling.

Sport is treated as a planned element rather than occasional. The school states it employs a sports specialist delivering PE across the school, and references a multi-use games area (MUGA) alongside the school hall as delivery spaces. For parents weighing the balance of academics and physical development, it suggests a timetable where PE is likely to be consistent rather than squeezed.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The school’s published core day is 8:45am to 3:15pm, described as 32.5 hours per week. Wraparound care is available via Lulu’s for nursery through to Year 2, with details available through the school office.

Parking is a known pinch point around many infant sites. The school’s parent information advises limited parking spaces on site, asks drivers to keep to a 5mph limit within school grounds, and to park considerately in surrounding roads.

• Competition for Reception places. Demand data shows 146 applications for 58 offers, around 2.52 applications per place. Families should plan for realistic alternatives alongside this preference.

• Nursery does not guarantee Reception. The school is clear that a nursery place does not provide automatic progression into Reception.

• Curriculum consistency is still being tightened in some subjects. The latest inspection indicates that some subjects are newer and that leaders need to check more routinely how well pupils are learning and remembering, including consistent vocabulary use.

• Wraparound care is not run directly by the school. Breakfast and after-school provision is offered through Lulu’s, so families may want to clarify availability, booking, and handover arrangements early.

A well-specified infant and nursery offer, with early reading, language development, and outdoor learning treated as core rather than optional extras. Forest School in Elmwood Forest, a sports specialist with a MUGA, and a visible partnership with CHEXs create a shape that feels broader than a simple “Reception to Year 2” pipeline.

Who it suits: families who want a structured start to reading and writing, value outdoor learning as part of the week, and prefer a setting where routines and expectations are clearly taught early. The biggest constraint is admissions competition for Reception, so shortlisting works best when you use Saved Schools to keep options organised and keep an eye on deadlines.