Ramsden Infant School Review 2026, a community infant and nursery with strong early reading

This is an infant and nursery school, so the usual headline measures parents see for primary schools, such as Key Stage 2 combined reading, writing and maths, do not apply. The most relevant outcomes here are whether children leave Year 2 ready for junior school: secure early reading, confident number sense, and the vocabulary to explain ideas.

Early reading is clearly prioritised. A structured phonics curriculum starts from Reception, supported by staff training and consistent teaching routines, with additional help in place for pupils who are struggling to keep up. The intended impact is straightforward, pupils build decoding accuracy early, then develop fluency through books that match the sounds they have been taught.

Mathematics also sits high on the agenda. The curriculum approach emphasises practical learning and mathematical language, and external review notes that most pupils achieve well overall. For parents, the implication is that the school’s results story is not about exam headlines; it is about whether Year 2 pupils can read independently, talk confidently, and handle core number concepts before the move to Key Stage 2.

Curriculum design is broad and intentionally ambitious for this age. Leaders have mapped essential knowledge and the order it should be learned in, with a sharp focus on language development across subjects so pupils can explain, justify, and discuss, not just complete tasks.

Reading is the clearest “signature” thread. The school has adopted Little Wandle Letters and Sounds, described on its curriculum pages as a programme validated by Department for Education. For families, the benefit is predictability: letter sound teaching, blending routines, and decodable reading books aligned to what children have been taught, so practice at home can be tightly matched to class learning.

The topic based approach is used to join subjects up in a way that makes sense to younger pupils. Planning describes National Curriculum content being taught through topics, with careful sequencing of knowledge, skills, and vocabulary. Reading is given high priority, and phonics is taught discretely through phases, building on Early Years learning.

One area to watch is consistency of implementation. The latest inspection highlights that while teachers have resources to teach the curriculum well, leaders need a more rigorous approach to checking how consistently some subjects are being taught and how reliably learning is assessed, so gaps are identified earlier.

Because the school finishes at Year 2, the key transition is into Year 3. The federation link with Greengate Junior School is relevant context, and practical arrangements already connect the two sites. For example, the after school club runs until 5pm and operates Monday to Thursday at the junior school site, with staff walking children over, then Friday provision based at Ramsden.

Transfer to a junior or primary school is coordinated by Westmorland and Furness Council, and families should not assume an automatic place based on current attendance. That matters even in close partnerships because admissions are still governed by published arrangements.

In practice, the best preparation a child can take into Year 3 is secure reading habits, confidence with number, and the emotional readiness to cope with new routines. The school’s combination of early reading priority, language focus, and nurture capacity is designed to support exactly that.

Reception entry is run through the local authority’s coordinated process. For September 2026 entry, applications opened on 3 September 2025 and closed on 15 January 2026, with outcomes issued on 16 April 2026 for on time applications. The council also notes that having attended a school’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place.

Demand data indicates competition can be real even at small schools. In the latest available admissions figures, there were 39 applications for 23 offers, which is around 1.7 applications per place, and the school is marked as oversubscribed on this measure. The practical implication is that families should treat distance and criteria seriously rather than assuming places will always be available. If you are shortlisting locally, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for checking your home to school distance precisely, then comparing it to recent patterns before you commit to a move. (Distances vary by year and cohort.)

Pastoral care in infant settings is often about routines and language rather than “big” interventions, and that is reflected in how the school operates. Behaviour tends to be calm and orderly because children learn consistent routines early, and adults treat communication and vocabulary as a core tool for wellbeing.

Support for pupils with special educational needs is built into curriculum access. Pupils with SEND are identified quickly, staff receive training, and support is geared towards helping pupils access the same ambitious curriculum as classmates.

For children who need more structured emotional regulation, the nurture model matters. The Ladybirds nurture facility, the pod, and sensory breakout space are practical, named resources rather than vague promises, and the “six principles of nurture” framework gives staff a shared language for understanding behaviour developmentally.

The inspection also sets a clear safeguarding baseline. The same 2022 inspection states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Enrichment is strongest when it is specific, and there are good examples here. Clubs named in the most recent inspection include board games, craft, printing and British Sign Language, which is unusual at infant level and can be especially valuable for communication confidence and inclusion.

The school also describes a rotating programme of after school clubs by half term, with examples including gym club, forest school club, science club, art club, and playground games. The implication for families is variety across the year, rather than the same fixed list every term, which can suit young pupils whose interests change quickly.

Beyond clubs, enrichment also includes local visits and practical experiences. The school’s published curriculum enrichment materials list recurring destinations and events including library visits, beach trips, Conishead Priory, Lindal and the Candle Factory, and a Vue Cinema trip, alongside transition arts performances linked with the federation partner. For younger children, those repeated “real world” experiences are often where vocabulary, confidence, and behaviour habits develop fastest.

Sport appears both participatory and outward facing. Pupils take part in football and gymnastics competitions with other schools, which is a useful indicator that PE is not just indoor movement sessions, but also teamwork and representing the school beyond the classroom.

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

The published day runs 8.40am to 3.10pm for Reception to Year 2. Nursery hours are shown as 9am to 3pm across the week.

Wraparound care is clearly set out. Breakfast club starts at 7.45am with breakfast provided, charged at £2 per session. After school club runs daily until 5pm, charged at £3 per hour, and uses the federation arrangement for Monday to Thursday.

• Not a full primary. Education here ends at Year 2, so families must plan for a Year 3 move. Even in a federation model, transfer is managed through the local authority and attendance at an infant school does not guarantee a junior place.

• Admissions can be tight. Recent demand data indicates oversubscription, at around 1.7 applications per place based on the latest available figures. If you are moving for a place, treat criteria and distance seriously and verify your position against current arrangements.

• Curriculum consistency is still a live improvement area. External review highlights a need for stronger monitoring of how some subjects are implemented and how consistently learning is checked, so pupils build knowledge securely across all areas.

• Wraparound involves two sites on most weekdays. Monday to Thursday after school care is based at the junior school site, with staff walking children over. Some families will like the continuity, others may prefer single site provision.

Ramsden Infant School feels like a place that takes early learning seriously, especially reading and language, while keeping young pupils grounded through routines, nurture support, and community facing experiences. It suits families who want structured early reading, clear wraparound options, and a setting that treats inclusion as practical work, not just policy language. Admission is the hurdle rather than what follows, so families should plan early and verify criteria and timelines carefully.