Last reviewed: February 2026 · Rankings and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A small infant school with nursery provision that sets out to do the basics exceptionally well: early reading, strong routines, and calm, consistent expectations. The age range is 2 to 7, so this is an early years and Key Stage 1 setting, not a full primary through to Year 6. That shapes everything, from curriculum design to transition planning.
The school is part of HEARTS Academy Trust and was judged Outstanding at its latest full Ofsted inspection in September 2023, with Outstanding judgements across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.
Admissions pressure is real even at this age. For the main Reception route, the figures show 107 applications for 34 offers, a ratio of 3.15 applications per place, with the route marked oversubscribed. That matters because it frames the experience for local families: planning early, understanding criteria, and being realistic about the likelihood of a place.
The tone is purposeful and warm, with a strong emphasis on habits and language that children can use from the earliest years. The published inspection report describes pupils as happy and safe, with high expectations embedded from the start and behaviour that supports learning in classrooms and at playtime.
The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Ethos is explicitly Christian in character, with worship and spirituality sitting alongside wider values and community service. A recent prospectus sets out a pattern of collective worship that includes stories, singing, prayer and reflection, with an intention to be inclusive and to teach about other faiths too.
One distinctive element is how personal development is structured. The inspection report refers to a coherently planned programme that is woven through curriculum choices and examples, plus a young leader passport approach where pupils recognise and record leadership behaviours like helping others, teamwork, perseverance and kindness.
Published national performance measures for this school are limited and it is not currently ranked in the FindMySchool primary outcomes table provided. Where results data is not available it is important not to over-interpret performance from general descriptors alone.
What can be stated with confidence is that the 2023 inspection judgement is the most recent published external evaluation, and it rated the school Outstanding overall. The inspection also references very strong progress across subjects from early years through to Year 2, supported by effective questioning and assessment and strong subject knowledge.
For parents, the practical implication is that this is a school whose quality case is built more on curriculum execution and early literacy strength than on headline key stage outcome statistics.
Early reading is clearly positioned as a core priority. The inspection report describes phonics starting in Nursery, consistent teaching across the school, careful matching of books to the sounds being taught, and rapid support when any pupil is at risk of falling behind.
Reading culture is reinforced through routines and environment. The inspection report notes well-chosen class and school libraries, deliberate selection of class read-aloud texts, and an approach to encouraging reluctant readers that includes reading to Daisy, the school dog.
A HEARTS Academy Trust newsletter also references Daisy as a new school dog within the school community, adding useful context that this is not a one-off mention.
A wider-curriculum picture is also available from the school’s published prospectus. While prospectuses age quickly, it provides helpful specificity about how learning is framed at infant stage: practical experiences in mathematics, a topic-based approach that links history and geography skills, regular trips and visitors, and technology access such as laptops and tablets to support learning.
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
Because the school ends at Year 2, transition is a major practical question. Most children will move on to a local junior school for Year 3. The school’s wraparound provision documentation references a walking bus that collects from Wickford Junior School and walks children back to the infant site for after-school care, which also indicates a common progression route for families.
For parents, it is worth thinking of this school as the first phase of a wider plan: you are choosing early years and infant education now, and you will need a separate junior choice later.
Applications are coordinated by Essex County Council. The published Essex timetable states that applications for a Reception place for September 2027 open on 9 November 2026 and close on 15 January 2027; applications after 15 January 2027 are treated as late. Offer day is 16 April 2027.
Reception-route demand is higher than supply, with 107 applications for 34 offers and an oversubscribed status. That is the clearest signal to treat this as a competitive local option.
The school offers provision for two-year-olds.
Separate early years admissions are typically handled directly rather than via the coordinated Reception process. The school’s Little Teds admissions page describes a pattern where children can join shortly after their second birthday, then move up to Nursery in the September they turn three, with five sessions per week offered either mornings or afternoons.
Essex publishes school-level admission arrangement documents alongside the coordinated timetable. For 2027 to 2028 entry, families should use the current policy to confirm the published admission number, priority-area rules and oversubscription criteria before applying.
For families trying to be precise about likelihood, FindMySchool’s Map Search can help you check your home location against the way distance tie-breaks operate for oversubscribed schools, and keep that under review as sibling and local demand patterns shift year to year.
Previous Year (2024/25 Entry)
Applications
107
Total received
Places Offered
34
Subscription Rate
3.1x
Applications per place
Wellbeing is treated as integral, not an add-on. The inspection report notes that pupil wellbeing is a high priority and references Mental Health Champions alongside the trust counsellor as part of support.
At infant stage, the most important protective factor is predictability. The evidence suggests routines are clear, and pupils understand expectations. The inspection report’s language also points to a culture where pupils support one another and where recognition systems are used to reinforce behaviour, including reward stickers aligned to values and personal postcards.
Safeguarding is a threshold issue for any parent. The latest inspection report states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.
For a small infant school, enrichment is unusually structured. The inspection report explicitly links clubs and activities to classroom learning and highlights the HEARTS Promise as a defining feature, designed to build memorable experiences such as staying away from home for a night or attempting record challenges.
A published school prospectus provides concrete examples of the kinds of clubs that have been offered, including Construction Club, Multi-Sports, Lego, Archery, Tech, Gymnastics, Gardening, Choir, Ju-Jitsu, Mindfulness, Basketball, Craft and Film.
Even if the exact timetable shifts term by term, the overall pattern is clear: enrichment is planned rather than occasional, and it spans physical activity, creative options, and wellbeing-themed provision.
Trips and visits also feature strongly in the same prospectus, with examples such as museum visits, country parks, and a cathedral visit linked to music, which aligns with the HEARTS Promise idea of memorable, formative experiences.
A published school page lists the school day as 8.50am to 2.50pm, Monday to Friday.
The school publishes breakfast club details, including a routine running from 7.30am to 8.35am with breakfast served and activities afterwards.
A separate breakfast club charges document includes specific prices, for example £3.00 per day for arrival from 7.30am.
After-school care is described via Kids at HEARTS Club, with a published document stating sessions 3pm to 6pm at £8.00, including snack and a walking bus link from Wickford Junior School.
As an infant school with wraparound, the practical question is usually drop-off and pick-up sequencing, especially for families coordinating nursery, infant and junior sites. The walking-bus arrangement is relevant if you have siblings across schools, but availability and eligibility should be checked directly.
It finishes at Year 2. You will need a separate junior school plan for Year 3. This is a strength if you like a phased approach; it is a drawback if you want a single school through to Year 6.
Competition for places. With 107 applications for 34 offers in the supplied admissions route, entry can be the limiting factor rather than the education once a place is secured.
Shorter school day than many primaries. 8.50am to 2.50pm can suit some families well, but others will rely on wraparound care, which carries additional costs.
Prospectus detail may date. Some of the richest specifics available publicly are from a published prospectus; club menus and staffing structures can change, so treat examples as indicative and confirm what is current.
This is a high-performing infant setting, strongly focused on early reading, behaviour that supports learning, and personal development that is planned rather than improvised. The latest inspection outcome is as strong as it gets, and the school’s published material points to an unusually rich offer for an ages 2 to 7 community.
Who it suits: families who want an Outstanding early years and Key Stage 1 education with clear routines, a strong reading culture, and structured enrichment, and who are comfortable planning a separate junior transition later. The main hurdle is securing a place.
The most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2023 judged the school Outstanding overall, with Outstanding grades across education quality, behaviour, personal development, leadership and management, and early years. That is a strong indicator of day-to-day quality, particularly for early reading, routines, and pupil wellbeing.
Reception admissions are coordinated by Essex County Council and, when the school is oversubscribed, places are allocated using published oversubscription criteria. For the 2027 to 2028 coordinated timetable, applications open on 9 November 2026 and close on 15 January 2027, with offers on 16 April 2027.
For Essex residents, the application window for Reception places for September 2027 opens on 9 November 2026 and closes on 15 January 2027. Applications submitted after 15 January 2027 are treated as late, which can reduce the chance of being offered a preferred school if the school is oversubscribed.
Yes. The school has provision for two-year-olds and early years is a core part of the setting. Published information about Little Teds describes entry shortly after a child’s second birthday, with a move up to Nursery in the September they turn three, and sessions offered as mornings or afternoons.
Children transfer to a junior school for Year 3. The school’s wraparound care information references a walking bus collection from Wickford Junior School, which suggests that is a common onward route for some families, though families should still check junior school admissions separately.
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