Jenyns First School and Nursery Review 2026: A small rural first school where outdoor learning is part of the routine

Because this is a first school ending at Year 4, it sits outside the usual end of Key Stage 2 testing cycle that many parents use for straightforward comparison. In other words, you should not expect the same national SATs style headline measures that apply to schools educating through to Year 6. The age range, and the school’s designation as a first school, are confirmed in official records.

That does not mean outcomes are vague, it means the evidence looks different. The school publishes its statutory assessment points across the year groups it serves, including Reception Baseline Assessment, Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, non statutory Key Stage 1 assessments, and the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check.

What parents can take from this is a more curriculum grounded picture. Early reading is treated as a priority from the start, with daily practice routines and additional support for pupils who need it, which is a strong predictor for later success when pupils transfer into the next tier of the local system.

For families comparing local options, the most useful question is not “What are the Year 6 results?”, it is “How strong are the foundations by the end of Year 4?”. A practical way to handle this is to look at the school’s approach to early literacy, number, and learning behaviours, then ask the middle school you are considering how they build on those foundations.

If you are shortlisting several schools with different age ranges, use FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages to compare like with like rather than mixing first schools and full primaries in one mental league table.

Teaching is designed around clarity and sequence. Topic order is planned carefully so that new learning builds on what pupils already know, and opportunities to recap are built in so pupils retain knowledge over time.

A good sign here is how the school talks about the trade off between breadth and depth in a small setting. Mixed age classes can be a strength when the curriculum is sharply mapped, because it forces staff to be precise about what matters most at each stage and how knowledge progresses across year groups. The inspection deep dives covered early reading, mathematics, art and science, which gives useful external confirmation that those building blocks have been looked at closely.

In practice, you can see the school leaning into high interest content to secure attention and memory. In art and design, pupils learn about artists from around the world and apply those ideas through varied techniques, which helps avoid a narrow “same activity, different worksheet” pattern that sometimes appears in small schools.

Early years provision places heavy emphasis on self initiated learning. Children spend much of their day exploring and choosing activities, supported by staff who extend thinking through questioning. The outdoor space is treated as part of the classroom rather than a break from it, which encourages sustained play, language development and problem solving.

Outdoor learning is also formalised through Forest School. Sessions take place in the school’s wooded area, with planned programmes, boundaries for safety, and space for children to follow their own interests. The model includes supported risk taking, reflection at the end of sessions, and practical tasks such as shelter building.

One important “fit” point for parents: this style of learning suits children who benefit from hands on exploration and practical experiences. If you are hoping for a very traditional, desk based model throughout, you may need to ask how classroom routines evolve as children move into Year 3 and Year 4.

Children typically stay through to Year 4, then transfer onwards within the local three tier system. The school explicitly positions itself as part of the Buntingford three tier system and describes close relationships with partner first, middle and upper schools to support transitions.

The practical implication is that transition planning matters earlier than it does in a full primary. You are not just choosing a single setting for seven years, you are choosing the start of a pathway. That can be a positive for families who like the idea of a smaller early phase and a more specialised middle school stage later, but it does require a bit more forward planning.

A good question to ask at visit stage is what transition actually looks like for pupils who leave at the end of Year 4. For example, how quickly do pupils settle into larger peer groups, what information is shared about learning needs, and how are expectations aligned between the schools in the partnership.

For Reception entry, admissions are coordinated by Hertfordshire County Council. For September 2026 entry, the county timetable lists 3 November 2025 as the opening date for online applications, with an on time deadline of 15 January 2026 and offer day on 16 April 2026.

If you are reading this after the deadline, the county also publishes late application points, including the last date to submit a written explanation for lateness (2 February 2026), and a cut off after which late applications are not offered places until mid June 2026 processing.

Demand is a real factor. The latest available demand snapshot shows 29 applications for 9 offers for the main entry route recorded, which equates to around 3.22 applications per place. In plain terms, that is consistent with oversubscription, and it helps explain why early planning matters.

The school also offers Nursery provision and promotes flexible hours for early years, including government funded hours for eligible families. Nursery places are not part of the statutory Reception process in the same way, so families should treat Nursery as its own application conversation rather than assuming it guarantees a later school place. Nursery fee details should be taken directly from the school’s published information.

Tip for parents comparing options: use FindMySchool’s Map Search to understand how realistic your shortlist is once you account for oversubscription patterns and local geography, especially if you are balancing several village schools across a wider area.

Small schools can do pastoral care well when the systems are simple and consistent, and the evidence here points in that direction. Pupils are described as feeling safe and able to turn to caring adults when worried, and the curriculum includes explicit teaching about personal space, online safety, and healthy relationships in an age appropriate way.

Family engagement is part of the operating model. The school highlights parents and carers being involved through events and volunteering, which tends to correlate with better attendance and smoother behaviour management because expectations are shared between home and school.

The inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Families with additional needs should note that the school has an identified SEND structure, and staff adapt learning using their knowledge of pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, so that pupils can access the same curriculum. In a small setting, this often means support is less about separate interventions and more about day to day teaching adjustments done well.

The extracurricular offer is unusually easy to picture because it is described through specific examples rather than general statements. Clubs and experiences range from music and craft to sport, with practical leadership roles for older pupils such as house captains and school council representatives.

For creative and performing arts, there is evidence of both formal and informal routes. Pupils have opportunities such as recorder and origami, and the school’s clubs list includes options like Djembe Drumming, Rock Steady, and a Maths Games Club.

Sport appears in a structured way rather than being left to ad hoc provision. The clubs programme lists dodgeball and multi skills, ball skills and hockey, football, and multiskills sessions. There are also regular sporting competitions with other local schools, which matters for confidence building in small cohorts because it widens peer comparison beyond a single class.

Trips and community links also feature. The inspection report references visits and trips including a local castle and a zoo, plus participation in village activities such as Old Man’s Day, which helps children build a sense of place and belonging beyond the classroom.

Finally, Forest School adds a different kind of “club” experience that is really a teaching method. Children climb, carry logs, build shelters, and take part in reflective routines, with staff stepping back at times to let children direct their play and learning.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual costs, such as uniform, trips, and optional clubs.

The school day runs from 8.45am start (registers at 8.50am) to 3.20pm finish.

Wraparound is a visible part of the offer. There is a holiday playscheme with 8.00am to 6.00pm opening, and the school also indicates extended opening across the wider day in term time.

On travel, this is a small rural school in Braughing, so most families will be planning around local road routes. If transport is a deciding factor, check bus timings and any local parking expectations before relying on a smooth commute.

• A first school model is not the same as a full primary. Pupils leave after Year 4, so you are committing to a pathway and a later transfer. Families should look at middle school options early, not as an afterthought.

• Leadership has been in flux recently. There have been several headteachers since the previous inspection, and the current headteacher was appointed in April 2024. That can mean rapid improvement energy, but it can also mean systems are still bedding in.

• Oversubscription is a practical constraint. The most recent demand snapshot shows 3.22 applications per place, which can make a first choice strategy feel higher stakes than families expect for a small village school.

• Curriculum consistency is the next lever. One identified development point is ensuring the most important knowledge and vocabulary are pinpointed precisely in every subject, and that expectations stay high so work remains demanding. Parents may want to ask how this is being addressed across mixed age classes.

Jenyns is a small rural first school that leans into what small scale can do well: strong relationships, clear routines, and a curriculum that uses outdoor learning as a genuine teaching tool. With Good judgements across all areas at the latest inspection, it offers a reassuring baseline while it continues to stabilise leadership.

Who it suits: families who want Nursery to Year 4 in a village setting, and who are happy to plan early for the middle school transition. Competition for places is the limiting factor, so families should approach admissions with a realistic strategy.