New Invention Infant School Review 2026: A 1909-built infant school with a purposeful start to learning

Early education works best when it is deliberate about language, routines, and memory. The strongest detail in the available evidence is how explicitly the curriculum is planned and taught.

A good example is vocabulary. Nursery pupils are taught specific positional language (how objects relate to each other), and then prompted to use those words across different activities until they become part of everyday speech. This is a concrete indicator of high-quality early years practice because it links teaching intent to repeated use, rather than leaving language growth to chance.

Reading is another defining theme. Leaders have introduced a revised approach to teaching reading, with all staff involved in phonics delivery. That matters in infant settings because inconsistency between classes can slow progress for the very pupils who most need predictable routines. The evidence also suggests a practical response to pupils being behind typical expectations at the time, with structured catch-up steps already in place.

Beyond English and maths, the school describes a whole-school curriculum built around cohesive themes, with British values threaded through and revisited at planned points in the year. For families, the implication is a curriculum that aims to connect learning rather than treating subjects as isolated weekly slots, which can suit pupils who learn best through repetition and clear links.

Because the school runs from Nursery through to Year 2, the main transition point is into Year 3 at a junior school. The school states that its feeder school is New Invention Learning Academy, situated next door, and that parents receive Year 3 application information during the autumn term of Year 2.

The second transition point is Nursery to Reception. This is where families can get caught out if they assume continuity is automatic. The school is explicit that Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place, and a separate Reception application via the local authority is required.

Admissions work differently depending on the entry point.

Nursery entry

Nursery admission is described as an autumn-term intake following a child’s third birthday, with no January intake currently offered. The school’s guidance indicates that families apply via an admissions form through the school, and that proof of identity and address may be required.

This is a useful model for parents who want a single, clear start point rather than rolling entry across the year. The trade-off is that families who miss that autumn window may need to wait for the next cycle, so planning ahead matters.

Reception entry (September start)

Reception places are coordinated by Walsall Council. For the September 2026 intake, the published closing date for on-time applications was 15 January 2026, with offers released on 16 April 2026.

Those dates are in the past as of 01 February 2026, but the structure is still valuable because it reflects the normal national pattern: applications open in early autumn and close mid-January, with offers in April. Parents applying for a later year should expect a similar cycle and should check the council’s current-year timetable as soon as the portal opens.

How competitive is it?

Demand data shows the Reception entry route is oversubscribed in the most recently reported year: 152 applications for 77 offers, which is just under two applicants per place. That ratio is meaningful even without a published distance figure because it signals that families should not treat admission as automatic.

If you are shortlisting multiple local schools, FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature can help you track deadlines and keep alternatives visible, especially where an infant school is popular and places are limited.

In infant settings, pastoral quality is inseparable from learning. A child who is dysregulated does not absorb phonics, number sense, or vocabulary well. The evidence here points to a school that takes behaviour and wellbeing seriously in practical ways.

The behaviour approach emphasises catching pupils doing the right thing and reinforcing it immediately, which supports calm classrooms and sustained attention. When pupils lose focus, adults respond quickly and bring attention back to the purpose of the lesson, rather than allowing low-level disruption to spread.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described through classroom-level adaptations, including the use of practical resources in maths and pre-lesson explanations to help pupils engage. For parents, that implies a setting where inclusion is delivered through day-to-day teaching routines, not only through paperwork.

Safeguarding is documented as effective, with clear staff roles, prompt action on concerns, and appropriate work with external services when needed. Pupils are also taught how to keep themselves safe, including online safety content at an age-appropriate level.

Extracurricular provision at infant age is less about elite performance and more about widening experiences, building confidence, and giving children a reason to love school beyond the classroom.

The school lists a structured set of clubs for Year 1 and Year 2, including archery, tag rugby, multi-sports, dance, gymnastics, hockey, choir, computing, board games, creative crafts, and drama. It also states that the cost is largely met from the school budget, with a small contribution of £6 for the whole year.

There is also evidence of broader personal development opportunities: pupils take on responsibilities such as school councillor roles, and experiences have included library visits and community-facing activities such as visiting a local care home to read and sing to residents.

For families with younger siblings, the on-site Little Puzzlers toddler group is an additional community feature, with sessions advertised on Tuesday mornings during term time and priced at £2 per session.

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

Wraparound care is clearly part of the model. The school advertises breakfast and after-school provision, and an archived school notice describes breakfast club from 7.45am and after-school club running until 6.00pm; families should confirm current timings for the present year, as schedules can change.

On meals, the school notes that all children up to Year 2 can receive a free hot dinner each school day under universal infant free school meals.

For travel, the school sits on Cannock Road in the New Invention area, so many families will be local enough to walk or use a short car journey. For planning, it is sensible to assume peak-time congestion at drop-off and pick-up and to build in a buffer.

• Nursery does not guarantee Reception. Even if your child attends Nursery here, you still need to apply separately for Reception through the local authority process.

• Competition for places. With 152 applications for 77 offers in the most recently reported intake, admission can be tighter than many families expect for an infant school.

• Curriculum expertise is still being strengthened. The curriculum is ambitious and clearly planned, but staff subject knowledge is not yet equally secure across every subject; leadership has been building staff expertise over time.

• Published attainment benchmarks are limited at infant phase. If you rely heavily on headline performance data when comparing schools, you may need to use a broader evidence set, including inspection findings, curriculum information, and your own sense of fit.

This is a well-established infant school, built into the fabric of its community since 1909, that takes early learning seriously and structures it carefully. The curriculum is planned with clarity, reading is treated as a priority, and the wider offer includes clubs and responsibilities that help pupils build confidence early.

Who it suits: families who want a purposeful, externally verified good start to schooling, with wraparound options and clear transition routes into junior education. The main hurdle is securing a place at the right entry point, so families should track deadlines early and use FindMySchool’s Map Search and shortlist tools to keep options open.