Padnell Infant School
Padnell Infant School is a community school in Waterlooville for pupils aged 4 to 7. It has 266 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Padnell Infant School is Good, from an inspection in May 2023. Attendance is among the best for primary schools in England, with 3.1% of sessions missed in 2024/25 compared with 5.2% nationally.
Ofsted inspection: May 2023.
| Type | Primary / Community school |
| Age Range | 4-7 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Padnell Avenue Cowplain Waterlooville Hampshire PO8 8DS |
| Reference Number | 115965 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 266 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 57.14%
Girls: 42.86% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 9.4% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 4.1% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 29.4 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 29.4 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 47 | 40 | 87 |
| 2 | 60 | 29 | 89 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 92.5% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.5% |
| White, Other | 1.1% |
| Indian | 1.1% |
| White & Asian | 0.8% |
| African | 0.8% |
| Asian, Other | 0.8% |
| Mixed, Other | 0.4% |
| Pakistani | 0.4% |
Padnell Infant School continues to perform well, maintaining its status as a good school. Pupils exhibit enthusiasm for their learning, actively participating in a curriculum designed to uphold high expectations set by school leaders. Enriching experiences beyond academics, such as forest school and various trips, contribute to a positive atmosphere and instill an appreciation for the environment among students. Staff provide robust support for pupils' well-being, and there is a notable absence of bullying within the school community.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 28 Mar 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 28 Mar 2023 | School inspection |
| 28 Nov 2017 | Short inspection |
| 11 Jul 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 09 Jan 2012 | Interim assessment |
| 09 Jul 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 15 May 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 26 Jun 2000 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils demonstrate enthusiasm and pride in their learning.
- Leaders maintain high expectations for pupil achievement.
- Effective curriculum planning supports high-quality education.
- Strong support and care for pupils with SEND.
- Variety of enriching extracurricular activities and school trips.
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistencies in pupil achievement due to new curriculums not being fully embedded.
- Some pupils with SEND are given tasks that do not maximize their learning potential.
Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 52 | 5 |
| Third Preference | 24 | 2 |
| From another Local Authority | 1 | 0 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 Padnell Infant School had 269 pupils for 270 places. 1 places (0.4%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Cowplain” planning area
Hampshire counted 367 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 373 in 2029–30, up 2%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 270 | 267 | 267 | 216 | 225 | 245 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 |
| Pupils | 200 | 216 | 217 | 224 | 239 | 220 | 237 | 256 | 268 | 271 | 268 | 256 | 256 | 269 | 269 |
| Unfilled | 25.9% | 19.1% | 18.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10.2% | 12.2% | 5.2% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
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 Padnell Infant School attended 96.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 2.8% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1.5% | 4.3% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 2.1% |
| Unauthorised absence | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.0% |
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 Padnell Infant School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 1.0 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 Padnell Infant School had 19.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 12.6 | 12.1 | 11.6 | 12.3 | 11.4 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 10.5 | 9.8 | 11.8 | 10.5 | 9.5 | 9.1 | 10.7 | 10.6 | 10.5 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 20.6% | 9.7% | 0.0% | 5.5% | 8.9% | 0.0% | 8.9% | 8.6% | 18.3% | 17.7% | 0.0% | 5.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 60.0% | 75.0% | 72.7% | 72.7% | 50.0% | 58.3% | 57.1% | 66.7% | 26.7% | – | 60.0% | 85.7% | 76.9% | 71.4% | 46.7% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 12.9 | 5.4 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 0.7 | 4.1 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 1.7 | – | 5.0 | 7.1 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 7.6 | – |
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, 11.7% of pupils at Padnell Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Speech, language and communication needs | 13 | 3 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 10 | 0 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 5 | 1 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 2 | 0 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 0 | 1 |
| Hearing impairment | 0 | 1 |
| Physical disability | 1 | 0 |
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 Padnell Infant School received £6,533 and spent £6,459 for each of its 266 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £285,000 (£1,070 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £128,000 | £180,000 | £196,000 | £232,000 | £195,000 | £214,000 | £265,000 | £285,000 |
| per pupil | £476 | £667 | £736 | £907 | £767 | £800 | £985 | £1,070 |
| In-year balance | £42,000 | £52,000 | £16,000 | £36,000 | -£37,000 | £19,000 | £52,000 | £20,000 |
| per pupil | £157 | £191 | £59 | £142 | -£147 | £70 | £191 | £74 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Padnell Junior School
Padnell Road, Cowplain, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 8EA |
0.07 miles |
|
Queen's Inclosure Primary School
Cornelius Drive, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 8NT |
0.43 miles |
|
Hart Plain Infant School
Hart Plain Avenue, Cowplain, Hants, Hampshire, PO8 8RZ |
0.72 miles |
|
Hart Plain Junior School
Hart Plain Avenue, Cowplain, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 8SA |
0.77 miles |
|
Woodcroft Primary
37 Woodcroft Lane, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 9QD |
0.88 miles |
|
The Waterloo School
Warfield Avenue, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 7JJ |
1.24 miles |
|
Springwood Infant School
Springwood Avenue, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 8ED |
1.38 miles |
|
Springwood Junior School
Springwood Avenue, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 8ED |
1.42 miles |
|
Horndean Infant School
Merchistoun Road, Horndean, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 9LS |
1.42 miles |
|
Berewood Primary School
Kentidge Way, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 3BE |
1.43 miles |
|
Warren Park Primary School
Sandleford Road, Leigh Park, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 4LR |
1.45 miles |
|
Horndean Church of England Junior School
Five Heads Road, Horndean, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 9NW |
1.46 miles |
|
Mill Hill Primary School
Mill Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 7DB |
1.65 miles |
|
St Peter's Catholic Primary School, Waterlooville
Stakes Hill Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 7BP |
1.77 miles |
|
Purbrook Infant School
Aldermoor Road East, Purbrook, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 5NQ |
2.04 miles |
|
Purbrook Junior School
Aldermoor Road East, Purbrook, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 5NQ |
2.04 miles |
|
Denmead Infant School
Hambledon Road, Denmead, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 6PN |
2.11 miles |
|
Newlands Primary Academy
Marrelsmoor Avenue, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 3FE |
2.13 miles |
|
Denmead Junior School
Bere Road, Denmead, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 6PH |
2.15 miles |
|
Catherington Church of England Infant School
316 Catherington Lane, Catherington, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 0TD |
2.15 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Cowplain School
Hart Plain Avenue, Cowplain, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 8RY |
0.51 miles |
|
Jubilee School
84-86 Jubilee Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 7RE |
0.98 miles |
|
Rachel Madocks School
Eagle Avenue, Cowplain, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 9XP |
1 miles |
|
Bere Clinic School
Hemlock Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 8QT |
1.01 miles |
|
Horndean Technology College
Barton Cross, Horndean, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 9PQ |
1.39 miles |
|
Prospect School
Freeley Road, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 4AQ |
1.44 miles |
|
Park Community School
Middle Park Way, Leigh Park, Park Community School, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 4BU |
1.75 miles |
|
Oaklands Catholic School
Stakes Hill Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 7BW |
1.8 miles |
|
Crookhorn College
Stakes Hill Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 5UD |
2 miles |
|
Havant Academy
Wakefords Way, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 5JD |
2.25 miles |
|
Havant and South Downs College
College Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 8AA |
2.26 miles |
|
Purbrook Park School
Park Avenue, Purbrook, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 5DS |
2.6 miles |
|
Releasing Potential School
7 Kingscroft Court, Ridgway, Havant, PO9 1LS |
3.17 miles |
|
Warblington School
Southleigh Road, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 2RR |
3.43 miles |
|
Springfield School
Central Road, Drayton, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 1QY |
3.82 miles |
|
The Wymering School
Sevenoaks Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 3YB |
3.99 miles |
|
Glenwood School
Washington Road, Emsworth, Hampshire, PO10 7NN |
4.3 miles |
|
Redwood Park Academy
Wembley Grove, Cosham, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 2RY |
4.37 miles |
|
City of Portsmouth College
Tudor Crescent, Cosham, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 2SA |
4.4 miles |
All schools in Waterlooville · Hampshire local authority: places and applications
What is Padnell Infant School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Padnell Infant School is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.
When was Padnell Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?
Padnell Infant School was last inspected in May 2023.
How many pupils does Padnell Infant School have?
Padnell Infant School has 266 pupils on roll.
What age range does Padnell Infant School cover?
Padnell Infant School for pupils aged 4 to 7.
Where is Padnell Infant School?
Padnell Infant School is at Padnell Avenue, Cowplain, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 8DS.