Catherington Church of England Infant School

About Catherington Church of England Infant School

Catherington Church of England Infant School is a small state primary in Hampshire, catering for children aged 4 to 7. It sits within a local authority that includes 425 primary schools, 33 of which hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted. Among its local peers, the school is outranked by Preston Candover Church of England Primary School, Our Lady and St Joseph Catholic Primary School, and St Faith's Church of England Primary School, according to the ranking system used in this area. With just 85 pupils on roll against a capacity of 90, Catherington is a genuinely intimate setting. The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 116 applications for 29 places — an oversubscription ratio of 4:1. Of those, 35 were first-preference applications, and 26 first-preference offers were made. This level of demand suggests a strong local reputation, particularly among families seeking a Church of England foundation for the earliest years of primary education.

In its most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in May 2024, the school was rated Good overall, with an Outstanding rating for early years provision. All other graded categories — quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management — were judged Good. This represents a consistent performance compared with its previous inspection in 2014, which also resulted in a Good overall rating, though that earlier inspection gave early years a grade 1 (Outstanding) as well. The school does not publish Key Stage 2 SATs results because its pupils leave at age 7, before that assessment point. For context, the Hampshire local authority average for Key Stage 2 attainment is 61 percent, but this figure applies to schools with older pupils and is not directly comparable. The school’s focus is firmly on the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, where its Ofsted record shows strong foundations are being laid.

The school offers a broad range of facilities for such a small setting, including art studios, music rooms, a sports hall, playing fields, an ICT suite, an outdoor playground, and a chapel. Sports on offer include athletics, cross country, rounders, dance, swimming, and cricket, while clubs extend to drama, eco club, choir, gardening, science club, and coding. The school supports pupils with moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. With no nursery provision and no sixth form, it is strictly an infant school, meaning families will need to plan for a transition to a junior school at age 7. Given its oversubscription and strong Ofsted record, this school is best suited to local families who value a small, church-affiliated infant setting with a proven track record in early years education and a wide array of enrichment activities despite its size.

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