Poulner Infant School and Nursery

Poulner Infant School and Nursery has demonstrated effective actions to maintain the standards established during the previous inspection, with a strong focus on pupil engagement and learning outcomes. Pupils express a sense of belonging and are enthusiastic learners, illustrating a respectful and inclusive school environment. The school's ambition for academic achievement is evident as pupils, including those with special educational needs, are well supported to flourish in their educational pursuits.

Strengths

• Pupils thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• The school has developed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum.
• Teachers present information clearly and effectively deepen understanding.
• There are strong, nurturing relationships in early years education.
• Pupils engage positively with their community through various initiatives.
• Effective identification of SEND needs leads to tailored support.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum refinement is needed in some subjects to detail what knowledge pupils should learn.
• Misconceptions among pupils are not always identified swiftly, leading to gaps in understanding.

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 Poulner Infant School and Nursery attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.6% 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 Poulner Infant School and Nursery 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 Poulner Infant School and Nursery had 21.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 4.9% 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, 6.3% of pupils at Poulner Infant School and Nursery were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.3% 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 Poulner Infant School and Nursery received £8,118 and spent £8,178 for each of its 190 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £118,000 (-£624 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 Ringwood · Hampshire local authority: places and applications

What is Poulner Infant School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Poulner Infant School and Nursery is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Poulner Infant School and Nursery last inspected by Ofsted?

Poulner Infant School and Nursery was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Poulner Infant School and Nursery have?

Poulner Infant School and Nursery has 207 pupils on roll.

What age range does Poulner Infant School and Nursery cover?

Poulner Infant School and Nursery for pupils aged 2 to 7.

Where is Poulner Infant School and Nursery?

Poulner Infant School and Nursery is at North Poulner Road, Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 3LA.