Thomas A Becket Infant School Review 2026: Big-school breadth with an infant-school focus

This review focuses on what is published and verifiable. For this school, the does not include Key Stage 2 performance measures or national ranking outputs, which is common for infant schools because statutory end of primary assessments take place at Year 6 rather than Year 2. That shifts the most useful question for parents from “How high are the scores?” to “How strong is the early pipeline into junior school?”

The most recent formal inspection outcome sits in the “Good” category, and the ungraded inspection in December 2024 concluded the school had taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. That is a meaningful signal for consistency rather than a one-off spike.

If you are comparing local options, FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages can still be useful, not for infant exam league positioning, but for viewing demand signals, school characteristics, and transition routes side by side.

Reading is treated as the spine of the curriculum. The most recent inspection highlights a strong prioritisation of reading and points to a redeveloped library designed to support higher ambitions for pupils’ reading culture. Phonics is described as taught well through a programme tailored to pupils’ needs, with swift extra support when pupils struggle.

Classroom practice is described in practical terms: staff have strong subject knowledge, explain learning clearly, and pick up misunderstandings so they are corrected rather than left to harden into gaps. For parents, the implication is straightforward. In infant years, small misconceptions compound quickly, so fast correction reduces later anxiety and avoids the need for dramatic intervention in Year 2.

Special educational needs and disabilities support is described as a strength. Needs are identified rapidly, support is put in place quickly, and staff adapt their teaching so pupils with SEND are integrated into lessons while building independence. For families considering an infant school as the first formal setting where needs might become clearer, this emphasis on early identification and flexible classroom adaptation is particularly relevant.

Because the school is Reception to Year 2, the main destination question is the move into junior provision. The school explicitly frames its curriculum journey as running from Reception through to the end of Year 6 at Thomas A Becket Junior School, which signals a planned-through approach across the linked infant and junior journey.

What that means in practice is that families can plan for continuity in key areas such as relationships education and health education, behaviour expectations, and the language used around values and responsibility. Even when children move sites and teachers, having a shared vocabulary can make the transition feel less like starting again.

Admissions for Reception entry are coordinated by West Sussex County Council rather than directly by the school. For September 2026 entry, the published county timeline gives a clear headline: the closing date is 15 January 2026 (11.59pm), with national offer day on 16 April 2026. Late applications submitted from 16 January 2026 to 11 February 2026 are treated as out of time within the published process.

The school’s own admissions page signposts September 2026 entry and indicates that tours for prospective parents are ticketed events, with booking required. Exact tour dates can change, so families should treat school tours as a rolling programme rather than relying on last year’s calendar.

Demand is strong. In the most recent entry-route data, there were 342 applications for 150 offers, which equates to roughly 2.28 applications per place. That is the kind of ratio where small priority differences matter, so it is sensible to line up a second local preference you would be comfortable accepting.

Parents who are distance-sensitive should use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check precise home-to-gate distance, then sanity-check against the local authority’s published allocation rules for the relevant year.

Pastoral practice here is tightly linked to emotional literacy. The school describes a “Safe and Kind” culture where emotional literacy supports self-regulation and a sense of belonging, and the REACH values are used as the anchor for its relationships approach. That is consistent with the inspection narrative which describes strong relationships, pupils feeling listened to, and pupils knowing how to raise concerns.

Targeted support is also part of the picture. The school references specific pastoral structures such as a Rainbow Nurture Group, Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs), and learning mentor support. For parents, the practical implication is that wellbeing support is presented as layered, not a single intervention, which is often the difference between a child settling quickly and a slow, stressful start to school.

Safeguarding is stated as effective within the most recent inspection report.

Extracurricular breadth is unusually well-developed for an infant school, partly because wraparound and enrichment are treated as a coherent offer. The school lists a wide range of after-school clubs, with examples including Gymnastics, Dance, Choir, Drama, Football, Art, and Bee Fit.

Forest School is the most distinctive strand. There is an after-school Forest School club for each year group, framed as a “stay and play” hour after school with limited places. Holiday provision is also described, with activities including using Forest School tools, lighting fires with flints, pond dipping, outdoor arts and crafts, dens, and exploration across outdoor areas such as a meadow space. For pupils, the benefit is not simply fresh air. Outdoor learning at this age is a direct route to confidence, cooperative play, and early risk management in a controlled environment.

Pupil responsibility roles also add texture. The eco-council and TASC Force provide structured ways for pupils to contribute to the wider community, while the nurture farm offers hands-on caretaking routines. These are not generic “leadership opportunities”, they are age-appropriate jobs that build early agency.

The school day is clearly defined for families managing work schedules. Gates open at 8.35 to 8.40am, drop-off runs from 8.40 to 8.50am, and pick-up is at 2.50pm. A one-way drop-off system is used to reduce congestion around the site.

Wraparound provision exists via an external childcare provider offering sessions from 7.30am until school starts and then after school until 6.00pm. Availability can vary by term and demand, so parents should check early if wraparound is essential.

For families driving, facilities information indicates onsite parking for approximately 20 vehicles, with free on-street parking as overflow. That is helpful context for busy drop-off and pick-up periods.

• A large infant school feel. The inspection narrative emphasises community despite size, but scale still changes the experience, routines and systems matter. Families who want a very small setting should consider whether this size suits their child.

• Competition for Reception places. With 342 applications for 150 offers in the latest available entry-route data, planning a realistic list of preferences matters. A strong first preference is sensible; a credible second preference is essential.

• Outdoor learning is a real pillar. Forest School and the nurture farm are central features, which many children love. A small minority of pupils find outdoor-focused sessions harder at first, particularly if they dislike mess or unpredictability, so it is worth asking how staff support gradual confidence-building.

• Wraparound is provided through an external operator. That can work very well, but it means booking processes, fees, and availability sit partly outside the school’s direct control. Families who rely on wraparound should confirm practicalities early.

Thomas A Becket Infant School offers a structured, values-driven start with strong emphasis on reading, relationships, and early independence, plus standout outdoor learning facilities that are unusually rich for an infant setting. It is best suited to families who want a big-school breadth of clubs and support, but with an infant-school focus on emotional literacy and foundational learning. The main challenge is admission rather than what follows.