Raunds Park Infant School Review 2026: Small, bird themed infant school in Raunds

For an infant school, academic performance is best understood through the quality of early reading, writing foundations, and mathematics teaching rather than Key Stage 2 outcomes, which are not applicable to a school that finishes at Year 2.

In this review’s results, there are no published Key Stage 2 style attainment figures populated for the school. That means any claims about percentages meeting expected standards, scaled scores, or national ranking positions would be speculation, and they are not included here.

What can be assessed confidently is the school’s stated approach to early literacy and writing, which is the core predictor of later attainment. The school sets out a structured approach to reading, including discrete reading lessons and embedding reading work within its wider curriculum.

For writing, the school states it uses The Write Stuff approach by Jane Considine, including Sentence Stacking, which is a highly structured model. In infant settings, structure is not a stylistic preference, it is a behaviour and learning tool. Short, carefully sequenced steps can help pupils who are still developing attention, working memory, and fine motor control.

Handwriting and letter formation are treated as a whole school priority via Kinetic Letters, with explicit attention to strength and physical readiness for handwriting. This tends to suit pupils who need more gross motor development before they can write fluently, and it can also be helpful for pupils who find pencil control frustrating.

The curriculum story at Raunds Park Infant School is about combining a familiar national framework with explicit school chosen programmes and routines.

For Key Stage 1, the school states its curriculum covers the National Curriculum and draws on Cornerstones. The implication for parents is coherence. A structured scheme can support consistency across classes, reduce variation in what is taught when, and help staff share planning and resources.

In Reception, the school describes following the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and planning across areas of learning inside and outside the classroom. For families, this usually translates into a balance between direct teaching, play based exploration, talk rich tasks, and early phonics, rather than a narrow worksheet model.

The writing and handwriting choices are particularly specific. The Write Stuff approach signals that pupils are taught to craft sentences deliberately, with vocabulary and ideas scaffolded. Kinetic Letters signals that letter formation is not left to chance. Those two together often produce a clear benefit in infant schools, pupils can write more confidently earlier, which in turn supports reading comprehension because pupils become more secure with phonemes, graphemes, and the mechanics of putting ideas on paper.

A final useful clue about teaching culture is the way routines are embedded. The school describes “animal positions” used across the day as part of the Kinetic Letters approach to strengthening bodies for handwriting. For many pupils, this kind of whole class routine is not just fun. It supports listening, posture, and self regulation.

Because Raunds Park Infant School finishes at Year 2, the next step for most pupils is transfer to a junior school for Year 3. Parents should plan early for that transition, particularly if they are trying to align school places with childcare, commuting, or sibling logistics.

The most important action is to check the local authority’s published process for junior transfer in North Northamptonshire and understand how places are allocated. The authority’s primary admissions timeline makes clear that applications are coordinated and run on a set calendar.

Practically, families should also ask the school how it supports transition, for example, whether there are liaison visits, information sharing, or phased familiarisation, because those details can make Year 3 transfer smoother for pupils who are less confident with change.

Raunds Park Infant School admissions for Reception are part of the North Northamptonshire coordinated process. The key dates for September 2026 entry are published by the local authority:

• Applications open from 10 September 2025 onwards

• Closing date for on time applications is 15 January 2026

• Offers are issued from 16 April 2026

The school also notes that for the 2026 to 2027 intake the published admission number has increased, from 56 to 60.

Demand is an important part of the decision. Reception entry is oversubscribed, with 69 applications for 44 offers, which equates to about 1.57 applications per place. That does not mean every applicant had an equal chance, because allocation depends on the oversubscription criteria, but it does indicate competition.

For families who are trying to judge practical odds, a useful habit is to map your home to the school gates and compare it to the kinds of distances that historically secure places locally.

If you are applying outside the normal entry point, the school signposts in year applications via the local authority process.

Pastoral care at infant level is mostly about routines, early identification of needs, communication with parents, and consistent behaviour expectations. The school publicly identifies safeguarding leads and roles, which is a basic but important signal that safeguarding is treated as a defined responsibility rather than an informal culture.

For parents, a good question to ask is how support works in practice for pupils who find school hard at first, for example separation anxiety, sensory needs, speech and language delay, or difficulty managing emotions. Infant schools vary widely in how they deploy staff, how they communicate day to day, and how quickly they escalate additional support. The school has a visible focus on structured literacy and physical readiness for writing, which often benefits pupils who need predictable systems and clear steps.

Extra curricular provision in an infant school should be judged differently from older phases. The best offer is not an endless menu. It is a small number of well run clubs that work for young pupils and are realistically staffed.

Raunds Park Infant School states it runs clubs across the year, with examples including choir and sports such as football, archery, and hockey. The practical implication is that pupils can try structured activities early, which can be a confidence booster for quieter children and a positive outlet for energetic ones.

The school also describes a parent and staff association, PIPS, which funds “extras” such as visiting theatre groups and equipment for playground, information and communication technology, and the library. In infant schools, this kind of support often has a direct effect on day to day experience because small purchases can substantially enrich play and learning.

The school day is clearly laid out. Doors open at 8.45am, registration is 8.50am, and home time is 3.15pm, with morning and afternoon playtimes.

Wraparound care is referenced by the school, but detailed timings and pricing are not set out in accessible text on the wraparound page, so parents should confirm current arrangements directly with the school.

For travel, Raunds is typically served via road and bus connections, with rail access commonly via Wellingborough station for commuters. Stagecoach publishes an X47 route connecting Raunds and Northampton, which may be relevant for some families.

• This is an infant school, not a full primary. Pupils will transfer at the end of Year 2, so families should plan early for junior school options and the Year 3 application process.

• Competition for Reception places. The admissions data supplied for this review indicates oversubscription. Families should read the oversubscription criteria carefully and apply on time.

• Wraparound detail needs checking. The school references wraparound care, but the current specifics are not presented in accessible text online, so confirm arrangements before relying on them.

• If you are applying for September 2026 entry, dates are fixed. The local authority sets the timeline, and late applications follow a different process.

Raunds Park Infant School suits families who want a small, clearly structured start to schooling, with a strong emphasis on early reading, writing and handwriting routines. The approach to literacy is explicit, with named programmes for writing and letter formation, which often benefits pupils who thrive on clarity and repetition. Admission is the main practical hurdle, and families should be prepared to plan for the Year 3 transfer to junior school as part of the overall choice.