The Grove Infant and Nursery School

The Grove Infant and Nursery School is performing exceptionally well, maintaining an outstanding grade across all inspection categories. Pupils are engaged and enjoy their learning due to the well-sequenced curriculum and skilled teaching staff. The environment fosters confidence and emotional safety, allowing children to express concerns openly and feel supported. Furthermore, the school emphasizes inclusivity and individual support, particularly for pupils with special educational needs, ensuring that all children achieve highly and are prepared for their next educational steps.

Strengths

• Pupils are enthusiastic learners and excel in their studies.
• Staff provide a safe and supportive environment.
• Curriculum is broad and well-structured, promoting deep understanding.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge and deliver content effectively.
• Reading is prioritized with effective early phonics instruction.
• Pupils with SEND receive highly individualized support.
• Pupils demonstrate exceptional behaviour and positive attitudes.

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 The Grove Infant and Nursery School attended 96.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.9% 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, 0.4% of pupils at The Grove Infant and Nursery 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 The Grove Infant and Nursery School had 19.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.7% 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, 8.6% of pupils at The Grove Infant and Nursery School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.5% 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 The Grove Infant and Nursery School received £7,317 and spent £7,320 for each of its 235 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £187,000 (£795 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 Harpenden · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is The Grove Infant and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Grove Infant and Nursery School is Outstanding, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was The Grove Infant and Nursery School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Grove Infant and Nursery School was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does The Grove Infant and Nursery School have?

The Grove Infant and Nursery School has 243 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Grove Infant and Nursery School cover?

The Grove Infant and Nursery School for pupils aged 3 to 7.

Where is The Grove Infant and Nursery School?

The Grove Infant and Nursery School is at Dark Lane, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 1QD.