Carterhatch Infant School

About Carterhatch Infant School

Carterhatch Infant School is a state primary in Enfield that serves children from age 2 to 7, and it is currently running very close to full capacity with 305 pupils against a school capacity of 310. The school’s intake reflects a significantly higher-than-average level of disadvantage: 47.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with the national primary average of around 23%. Demand for places is strong — for the 2025/26 reception intake, the school received 122 applications for 63 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.94, and all 62 first-preference applicants were offered a place. This suggests that local families who put Carterhatch as their top choice are almost certain to get in, but the overall competition means it is a popular option within the borough. The school has a nursery provision, so families can join from age 2, and it is a mixed, non-religious school with no boarding or sixth form.

Academically, Carterhatch Infant School holds a Good rating from Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection in 2018, and an ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed the school remains Good. The early years provision was rated Outstanding in that 2023 inspection, which is a strong signal for families with younger children. The school’s previous inspection in 2013 rated it Outstanding overall, so the current Good rating represents a slight step down, but the leadership and management are also rated Good. For a school that only goes up to Year 2, there are no KS2 SATs results to compare against the local authority average of 67, but the focus on early years and infant education means the priority is building strong foundations. The school is not among Enfield’s top-ranked primaries — the nearest Outstanding-rated school is Galliard Primary School, 2.6 km away — but its consistent Good rating and outstanding early years provision make it a solid choice for the infant phase.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including playing fields, a sports hall, an ICT suite, a library, art studios, and a forest school, which supports outdoor learning. Sports provision includes tennis, netball, gymnastics, dance, swimming, and cross country, while clubs cover art, choir, coding, chess, and science. For families with children who have additional needs, the school’s SEND provisions are extensive, covering moderate learning difficulty, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a particularly inclusive option for children who may need extra support in their earliest school years. Given its oversubscription but high first-preference offer rate, Carterhatch Infant School is best suited to local families who want a well-regarded infant school with strong early years provision and a clear commitment to inclusion, and who are happy to move on to a junior school at age 7.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Carterhatch Infant School

Helpful Guides for Parents