Scargill Infant School

Scargill Infant School is a nurturing and caring school where pupils feel safe and happy. The report highlights strong practice in attendance and behaviour, early years, and inclusion. Attendance is well above national levels, pupils behave exceptionally well, and children get off to a strong start in the early years, especially in reading, phonics and early mathematics. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils are well supported, and safeguarding is met. However, the school is not yet consistently strong across all areas. Achievement, curriculum and teaching, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing are all judged at the expected standard. In wider curriculum subjects, teaching quality and delivery vary, pupils sometimes struggle to recall their learning in detail, and some follow-up tasks are not well designed to build understanding. Leaders know these areas need further work and have appropriate plans in place. This was a full inspection of a 231-pupil infant school in the Hornchurch Academy Trust. The school serves a community with above-average deprivation, though the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is close to average. Leaders, governors and trustees have an accurate view of the school and are committed to improving consistency across the wider curriculum and further enriching pupils’ personal development.

Strengths

• Attendance is remarkably strong and well above national levels.
• Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary, and pupils say bullying is not an issue.
• Early years provision is highly effective and prepares children well for Year 1.
• Phonics and early reading are prioritised, with above-average Year 1 phonics outcomes.
• Inclusion is well structured, with strong support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders are extremely knowledgeable and have a clear view of strengths and development areas.
• Governors and trustees provide effective challenge and support.
• Staff feel valued and supported with their workload and wellbeing.
• Pupils benefit from a well-designed personal development programme and a range of enrichment opportunities.
• Warm relationships and a nurturing culture help pupils feel safe and supported.

Areas for Improvement

• Teaching quality and curriculum delivery vary in wider curriculum subjects.
• Pupils sometimes struggle to recall their learning in detail in wider curriculum subjects.
• Some follow-up activities and tasks are not well designed to help pupils understand and learn.
• Learning activities do not always precisely support the knowledge and skills leaders want pupils to know and remember.
• Leaders need to continue developing staff expertise and consistency across the wider curriculum.
• Personal development and enrichment could be improved further, including opportunities for pupils to volunteer.

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 Scargill Infant School attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.8% 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 Scargill 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 Scargill Infant School had 22.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 16.5% of pupils at Scargill Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.0% 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 2024–25 Scargill Infant School received £8,628 and spent £7,798 for each of its 223 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £452,000 (£2,029 per pupil).

Across all 6 schools of Hornchurch Academy Trust, income was £6,883 and spending £6,619 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

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All schools in Havering · Havering local authority: places and applications

Scargill Infant School is part of Hornchurch Academy Trust, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• Scargill Junior School Rainham
• Whybridge Junior School Rainham
• Upminster Infant School Upminster
• Upminster Junior School Upminster
• Shears Green Infant School Gravesend

What is Scargill Infant School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Scargill Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Scargill Infant School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Scargill Infant School have?

Scargill Infant School has 224 pupils on roll.

What age range does Scargill Infant School cover?

Scargill Infant School for pupils aged 2 to 7.

Where is Scargill Infant School?

Scargill Infant School is at Mungo Park Road, Rainham. Essex, Essex, RM13 7PL.