Oatlands School Review 2026: Values-led infant education with strong early reading habits

As an infant school, the most meaningful indicators are early years outcomes and phonics, plus the wider inspection view on curriculum quality and implementation.

On the school’s published performance information, Reception outcomes show 76.7% achieving a Good Level of Development in 2024, with an England comparator shown as 69.1%. Phonics is also presented as a strength, with 91.1% passing the Year 1 phonics screening in 2025, alongside an England comparator of 80.8%.

It is worth treating those figures as indicators rather than a full “results story”. At infant phase, the best sign is consistency in early reading practice and a curriculum that builds knowledge in small, secure steps. The most recent inspection supports that picture, particularly around systematic phonics and the way staff use assessment to spot pupils who need extra practice quickly.

FindMySchool primary outcome rankings are not currently presented for this school, so the review leans more heavily on verified inspection evidence and the school’s own published early years and phonics measures.

Teaching at Oatlands is shaped by a clear sequencing mindset: what pupils learn, when they learn it, and the vocabulary they need along the way. The inspection evidence describes a curriculum that is deliberately mapped from early years onwards, so pupils build towards Year 1 expectations without a sudden jump in demand.

Early reading is the anchor. Leaders prioritise a structured phonics programme, and staff training is geared towards consistent delivery. The practical implication for families is that children who arrive with less exposure to books, or who need more repetition to secure sounds and blending, are more likely to be noticed quickly and supported with additional practice time.

Mathematics is also highlighted as an area where many pupils achieve strongly, and the wider teaching approach emphasises manageable steps and revisiting prior learning. That is particularly helpful at infant stage, where forgetting is normal and confidence can be fragile. The school’s own timetable structure and routines appear designed to normalise practice without it feeling punitive.

One development point is also clear. Strengthening early writing, including practice that builds knowledge into confident independent writing, is identified as an area that still needs further improvement. Families with children who already find fine motor tasks hard, or who are reluctant writers, should ask how writing stamina and formation are supported across Reception and Year 1.

Because Oatlands is an infant school, pupils typically move on at the end of Year 2. For families, the practical question is less “which secondary school next” and more “what is the junior school pathway and how smooth is transition”. Surrey’s arrangements vary by area, so the best approach is to check the linked junior school options for your address, and confirm whether a preferred junior school is part of a separate application route.

Oatlands also signals strong transition links with early years settings. Forest School activity is organised termly across year groups, supported by staff, which can be a useful common experience for pupils who are building confidence outdoors and learning to work collaboratively before the move to junior phase.

Surrey County Council is the admissions authority for Oatlands, so Reception applications follow the Surrey coordinated system rather than being made directly to the school.

For September 2026 entry, Surrey’s published deadline for on-time primary applications is 15 January 2026. Families applying late are considered after on-time applications, and Surrey also publishes late-application timelines for the same entry year.

Oatlands is oversubscribed. In the most recent cycle reported, the school received 307 applications for 90 places, and first preference demand exceeded available places. In practice, that means families should treat distance and oversubscription criteria as decisive. If you are making housing decisions, it is sensible to use the FindMySchool Map Search to check your exact distance and compare it with recent patterns, while remembering that patterns shift each year.

Pastoral care at infant stage is mostly about predictable routines, rapid adult response, and early intervention before small worries become big ones. The inspection evidence points to a strong safeguarding culture, with clear recording and escalation practices, and staff training that is thorough and ongoing.

The wellbeing offer also includes guidance for parents on managing young children’s access to digital devices and screen time, which is increasingly relevant even at Reception age. That matters because the social and emotional issues linked to early device use often show up as sleep, attention, and self-regulation challenges, all of which affect readiness to learn.

Bullying is described as not being a dominant worry for pupils, and children know that adults will help. For parents, the key question to ask is how the school distinguishes ordinary friendship friction from repeated unkindness, and how quickly staff intervene when patterns emerge.

Oatlands has an unusually detailed, term-specific clubs offer for a school of this age range, and it is structured in a way that fits family logistics. Many clubs run straight after the 3pm finish, with some morning clubs that feed directly into the start of the school day.

In Spring Term 2026, examples include Year 1 Street Dance, Year 1 and Year 2 Spanish clubs, Drama Club for Year 1 and Year 2, and a Reception-focused Little Arts and Crafts club. There is also a Storybook Club for Year 2, positioned as a creative project that blends drawing and writing into making books. The implication is that enrichment is not only sport-led. It also targets language, performance, and creative confidence at exactly the ages when some children are deciding whether they see themselves as “good at” those domains.

Outdoor learning is another pillar. Forest School sessions are organised termly and delivered with specialist leadership and staff support, using the school field. Combined with woodland play space and the Values Garden, this gives a practical outlet for pupils who learn best through movement, exploration, and hands-on tasks.

The school day begins at 8.50am, with gates opening from 8.30am, and finishes at 3.00pm. Lunchtime is just after midday.

Wraparound care is available through OSCAR Club, which runs in the morning from 8.00am to 8.50am and after school from 3.00pm to 6.00pm. The published session fees are £7 for the morning session and £15 for the after-school session, and families should note it is not positioned as a breakfast service.

For travel, the school’s own guidance emphasises safe arrival routines, including use of supervised crossings and the correct entrances. For families driving, local streets can feel tight at peak times in similar parts of Weybridge, so it is worth checking parking expectations and walking routes during a normal morning run rather than only at an open event.

• Oversubscription pressure. With 307 applications for 90 places in the most recent cycle reported, admission is competitive. Families should read Surrey’s criteria carefully and build a realistic list of preferences.

• Early writing development. External evidence identifies early writing as an area still being strengthened. If your child is a reluctant writer or has fine motor needs, ask what targeted practice looks like in Reception and Year 1.

• Infant-only structure. Transition after Year 2 is a normal part of the model. For some children, moving at age 7 is easy; for others, it can be a bigger emotional step. Ask how transition is managed and how information is shared with the next school.

• Wraparound details matter. OSCAR Club is clearly described and costed, but it is not positioned as a breakfast club. If morning food is essential for your routine, clarify what your child can eat and when.

Oatlands School suits families who want a structured, values-led infant setting with strong routines, a clear early reading focus, and a surprisingly broad enrichment offer for young pupils. The culture appears calm and relational, with safeguarding and wellbeing practice described as strong. The main hurdle is securing a place, and families should plan early, understand Surrey’s coordinated system, and use objective distance checks when deciding how realistic admission is for their address.