Pinewood Infant School

Pinewood Infant School is a school that is performing well overall, with inspectors judging personal development and wellbeing as a strong standard and all other areas as expected standard. Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for their next steps, demonstrate confidence, resilience, and empathy, and benefit from a highly inclusive culture. The school has two resourced provisions for speech, language and communication and autistic spectrum disorder, and pupils in these provisions flourish. Safeguarding standards are met, attendance is high, and behaviour is positive. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, and staff are skilled at adapting learning to meet pupils' needs, particularly for those with SEND. However, some pupils' letter formation and spelling are not as well developed as they could be, and leaders are working to close the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils. Inspectors also noted that while staff explain and model concepts well, checking for understanding is not consistently effective, which can allow misconceptions and gaps in knowledge to persist. The report identifies two next steps: to further develop staff expertise in checking and deepening pupils' understanding in lessons, and to continue improving the quality of pupils' writing, especially letter formation and spelling. This was a full section 5 inspection led by His Majesty's Inspector Neil Pilsworth, with team inspector Donna Fox.

Strengths

• Pupils are extremely well prepared for their next steps and develop confidence, resilience, and strong social and communication skills.
• Pupils demonstrate a deep understanding of equity and equality and show empathy towards others.
• The school provides wide-ranging opportunities, including clubs, trips, and a 'pop-up pool' for swimming, ensuring vulnerable pupils are included.
• Pupils have a detailed knowledge of fundamental British values and personal, social, health and education, including mental health and relationships.
• Most pupils achieve well and are ready for the next stage of their education, including pupils with SEND in the resourced provisions.
• Pupils are confident in using reading and mathematical knowledge to access the curriculum.
• Attendance is high for all groups, and leaders' actions to promote attendance are effective.
• Pupils behave well, are attentive, motivated, and show respect to each other and staff.
• The curriculum is broad and ambitious, with knowledgeable staff who explain and model concepts well.
• Staff have a secure understanding of pupils' needs and adapt learning effectively, particularly for pupils with SEND.
• Children in early years make a great start and are very well prepared for Year 1, with a strong focus on language and communication.
• Leaders have high expectations and promote a culture where diversity is celebrated and every pupil is valued.
• Leaders know the school well, are reflective, and prioritise actions in pupils' best interests.
• Governors fulfil their statutory duties and challenge leaders effectively.
• Staff feel valued, and there is a supportive culture with a structured professional learning programme.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils' letter formation and spelling are not as well developed as they could be, limiting the quality of their oral and written sentences.
• Leaders are working to close the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.
• Staff do not consistently check pupils' understanding well enough to identify and address misconceptions and gaps in knowledge quickly.
• Pupils' knowledge is more secure in some elements of subjects than others, for example in history chronology is stronger than knowledge of evidence types.
• Some pupils, including some disadvantaged pupils, require further support to improve letter formation and spelling.
• Leaders should further develop staff expertise in checking and deepening pupils' understanding in lessons.
• Leaders should continue to develop their approach to improve the quality of pupils' writing, especially letter formation and spelling.

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 Pinewood Infant School attended 96.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 2.5% 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 Pinewood 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 Pinewood Infant School had 16.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.2% 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, 23.4% of pupils at Pinewood Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 23.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 23 pupils.

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 Pinewood Infant School received £11,509 and spent £11,133 for each of its 107 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £189,000 (£1,763 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 Farnborough · Hampshire local authority: places and applications

What is Pinewood Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Pinewood Infant School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Pinewood Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Pinewood Infant School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Pinewood Infant School have?

Pinewood Infant School has 107 pupils on roll.

What age range does Pinewood Infant School cover?

Pinewood Infant School for pupils aged 5 to 7.

Where is Pinewood Infant School?

Pinewood Infant School is at Pinewood Park, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 9LE.