West Byfleet Infant School Review 2026: A three-form-entry start with strong early reading foundations

Infant schools do not publish Key Stage 2 results, so parents should expect the most useful published indicators to be early reading and teacher assessment at the end of Year 2. West Byfleet Infant School shares phonics screening and Key Stage 1 teacher assessment information on its website.

Phonics is an especially relevant lens here because it is one of the clearest early signals of reading foundations. The published figures show Year 1 phonics outcomes compared with national percentages, alongside Year 2 retake outcomes.

The school also publishes Key Stage 1 teacher assessment percentages meeting age-related expectations across reading, writing, and mathematics, with multiple years shown. This is helpful for parents because it gives a sense of stability across cohorts, rather than a single-year snapshot.

One important caveat for any school using teacher assessment data is that it is not the same as a standardised external test. The implication is not that the data is unreliable, but that parents should interpret it alongside what the school explains about its curriculum, reading approach, and support for pupils who need more time.

The published curriculum information gives a clear picture of how early literacy is handled. The English page states that phonics is taught daily in Reception and Key Stage 1 using Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, described as a systematic synthetic phonics programme.

That choice matters for parents because it tends to signal a consistent approach to decoding and early reading routines. When the programme is used well, pupils get repeated practice in matching sounds to graphemes, blending, and building automaticity, which can reduce stress for children who might otherwise find reading unpredictable.

Beyond English, the school’s development planning language points to a priority around coherently sequencing the foundation curriculum so that pupils build connected understanding over time. This is the kind of work that often shows up in subject clarity, knowledge building, and reducing gaps between classes and cohorts.

Because this is an infant school, the key transition is into junior school at Year 3. The school’s admissions page explicitly reminds families that children in Year 2 must still submit an application by the primary deadline for transfer to junior school, including West Byfleet Junior School.

For parents, the implication is simple but easy to miss in busy Year 2 terms. Attendance at the infant school does not remove the need to apply for the next stage, and missing the deadline can limit options. Surrey’s admissions guidance for September 2026 also frames the primary application window as relevant both for children starting Reception and for those leaving Year 2 of an infant school.

Demand, as reflected in application-to-place pressure, is one of the most important practical realities for families. For Reception entry, the most recent available demand figures show 226 applications for 90 offers, with the entry route marked oversubscribed and an application-to-offer ratio of 2.51.

This suggests that admission is competitive in the relevant year of measurement. A high application ratio does not mean families should not apply, but it does mean it is sensible to plan alternatives and understand the admissions criteria used by the local authority for community schools.

For September 2026 entry, Surrey’s primary application window opens on 03 November 2025 and closes on 15 January 2026.

Surrey also sets out the outcome notification date for applicants. If you live in Surrey and applied online, the outcome is issued on the evening of 16 April 2026; paper applicants are written to on the same date.

If you want to be highly precise about your likely position, FindMySchool’s Map Search can help you understand how your address relates to the school’s location and local alternatives, particularly in years when multiple community schools in the same area are oversubscribed.

Safeguarding information is published clearly, including a safeguarding policy that explicitly links the school’s vision to children feeling safe and secure within the community.

The school also provides a plain-English description of what safeguarding and child protection mean in practice, including a statement that safety and wellbeing are everyone’s responsibility and that the environment should be caring, positive, safe, and stimulating.

The latest inspection included early years provision within its Good judgement, which can matter for families with children starting in Reception.

Clubs matter in an infant school for two reasons. First, they help children try activities that may not be part of the core day. Second, they support working families by extending the day in a structured way.

Wraparound care is offered through named options. Early Birds starts from 7:30am and includes breakfast provision; the published cost is £6.50 per child per session.

After school, Wingbats is described in a brochure as an established after-school club running from straight after the school day until 6:00pm, supporting children aged 4 to 11. For families, the implication is that siblings across infant and junior age can potentially use a single after-school routine, which reduces logistical complexity.

On enrichment, the school lists sports club options with specific activities and days, including football and other games-based clubs aimed at Key Stage 1, plus a separate football slot for early years.

The wider club programme is described as having a weekly timetable of clubs, which indicates a structured approach rather than occasional enrichment days.

Holiday provision is referenced through holiday camps delivered via an external provider, framed as activity-based provision during school holidays.

The school day timings are published clearly. Gates open at 8:35am, the school day begins at 8:45am, and pick-up is 3:15pm; gates close at 3:30pm.

Term dates are published and the school notes that, as a maintained school, it follows Surrey term dates.

For transport habits, the school highlights a travel plan approach and states it has achieved a Bronze Award for its travel plan, designed to encourage sustainable travel and improve air quality, managed with Surrey County Council.

Wraparound care is available in the morning, and after-school childcare is available to 6:00pm via Wingbats, which should cover many working-day patterns.

• Competition for places. The most recent demand data shows 226 applications for 90 offers for the Reception entry route. If you are applying for September 2026, it is sensible to understand Surrey’s criteria and to list realistic alternatives.

• Infant-to-junior transition is an application step. Children in Year 2 still need an application submitted by the primary deadline to transfer to junior school, including West Byfleet Junior School. Build this into your Year 2 calendar.

• Interpreting attainment data. Infant schools tend to publish phonics and Key Stage 1 teacher assessment information rather than external tested results. Use the published figures as a starting point, then focus on the reading programme, curriculum sequencing, and how the school supports children who need more time.

• Wraparound details are split across pages and documents. Early Birds timings and cost are easy to find, but other wraparound details may sit in PDFs and provider pages. Families who need precise weekly logistics should check the latest documents each term.

West Byfleet Infant School reads as a purposeful, well-organised infant setting with a clear emphasis on belonging and strong early reading foundations, supported by a systematic phonics approach and published early attainment indicators. It suits families who want a structured start to school, clear routines, and practical wraparound options. The main challenge, for many, is admission competition at Reception and planning ahead for the Year 2 transfer step into junior school.