Walter Infant School

Walter Infant School is an outstanding infant and nursery school where pupils are inspired, valued and exceptionally well prepared for junior school. The report highlights a highly ambitious and carefully sequenced curriculum, excellent teaching of reading, strong early years provision, and rapid progress for pupils regardless of their starting points. Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and supported effectively, and many pupils new to the country or at early stages of learning English feel secure and settle quickly. Behaviour and attitudes are impeccable, with pupils showing resilience, independence and a strong understanding of their feelings. Personal development is central to the school's work, offering pupils varied opportunities to build character, contribute to democracy and learn how to stay healthy and safe. Leadership and management are strong, with governors providing effective support and challenge while keeping staff well-being and workload in focus. The inspection was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2013, having previously been exempt as an outstanding school. Under the current framework, no overall effectiveness grade was awarded, but all key judgements were outstanding. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and no areas for improvement were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Pupils are inspired by a child-friendly environment and knowledgeable teachers
• The curriculum is exceptionally well developed and coherently sequenced
• Pupils make rapid progress from their starting points and are exceptionally well prepared for junior school
• Reading is taught excellently, including strong support for pupils learning English
• Early years provision is outstanding, with children quickly developing confidence and key skills
• Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and supported through well-adapted teaching and resources
• Behaviour is impeccable in lessons and at social times
• Personal development is a core part of the curriculum and builds pupils' character
• Governors understand their strategic roles and advocate strongly for disadvantaged pupils
• Staff are proud to work at the school and benefit from focused development and coaching

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Walter Infant School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Walter Infant School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Walter Infant School had 20.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 9.0% of pupils at Walter Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Walter Infant School received £8,008 and spent £9,401 for each of its 217 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £355,000 (-£1,638 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Wokingham · Wokingham local authority: places and applications

What is Walter Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Walter Infant School is Outstanding, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Walter Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Walter Infant School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Walter Infant School have?

Walter Infant School has 221 pupils on roll.

What age range does Walter Infant School cover?

Walter Infant School for pupils aged 3 to 7.

Where is Walter Infant School?

Walter Infant School is at Murray Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 2TA.