Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery

Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery is a strongly performing school that has improved markedly since its previous inspection. It provides an exceptionally nurturing environment where pupils feel safe, are well known by staff, and are fully included, including pupils with SEND in the school’s specially resourced autism provision. Pupils behave exceptionally well, relationships are harmonious, and personal development is a standout feature, supported by a rich range of clubs, activities and visits. Leaders have brought about improvement across the school. The curriculum is now logically sequenced, staff explain new learning well, and reading and early years provision are particular strengths. Early years pupils achieve outstandingly well, and pupils with SEND are well supported. Staff morale is high, parental engagement is exceptional, and governors hold the school to account effectively. Safeguarding is effective. The main area for further improvement is assessment during learning. Sometimes staff checks do not precisely identify pupils’ gaps or misconceptions, meaning a few pupils move on before they are secure. The school should strengthen staff expertise in spotting and addressing these gaps so all pupils secure their learning as well as they could.

Strengths

• Exceptionally nurturing environment where pupils feel safe and well known
• Strong values of kindness and respect underpin harmonious relationships
• Pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision, are fully included
• High expectations for achievement are largely met through purposeful learning
• Curriculum is logically sequenced and staff explain new learning well
• Effective training helps staff design tasks that help pupils remember learning
• Strong focus on reading with consistent phonics teaching and effective catch-up support
• Outstanding early years provision with excellent assessment and task adjustment
• Very high behaviour expectations, with staff modelling kindness and supporting resilience
• High attendance and effective work with parents to address concerns
• Personal development is thoroughly fostered, including respect, safety, healthy eating and cultural awareness
• Rich range of clubs, activities and visits, with inclusion for disadvantaged pupils
• Highly effective leadership, strong teamwork and prioritised staff development
• Exceptional parental engagement and assiduous, well-organised governance
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• Some in-lesson checks do not accurately identify gaps and misconceptions, so some pupils move on before they are ready

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 Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.6% 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, 0.4% of pupils at Maidenbower 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 Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery had 22.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.2% 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, 13.7% of pupils at Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 8.0% 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 Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery received £8,699 and spent £8,441 for each of its 249 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £24,000 (-£96 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 Crawley · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

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

The latest Ofsted rating for Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery is Good, from an inspection in September 2025.

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

Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery have?

Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery has 249 pupils on roll.

What age range does Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery cover?

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

Where is Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery?

Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery is at Harvest Road, Maidenbower, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 7RA.