Hart Plain Infant School

About Hart Plain Infant School

Hart Plain Infant School is a state primary in Havant, Hampshire, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good overall, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2014. For a school of its type, the local authority average for Key Stage 2 attainment sits at 61, but because Hart Plain only caters for children aged 4 to 7, it does not produce KS2 results, making a direct headline comparison impossible. What stands out instead is the school's trajectory: it has moved from a clear weakness in leadership and management to a Good rating in that area, and its early years provision has held steady at Good across both inspections. This is a school that has demonstrably turned things around, even if its small size and narrow age range mean it operates differently from a typical full primary.

Academically, the school's most recent graded inspection in 2017 gave it a Good overall effectiveness, with leadership and management also rated Good. The ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed that the school remains Good, suggesting consistent quality since the previous graded visit. With 130 pupils against a capacity of 180, the school is not full, but it is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 83 applications for 45 places, with 39 first-preference offers made. That oversubscription ratio of 1.84 indicates strong local demand. The school serves a relatively disadvantaged cohort, with 41.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. There are no published Progress 8 or SATs scores for this infant school, so parents should focus on the Ofsted trajectory and the clear improvement in leadership as key indicators of academic health.

The school offers a broad range of facilities for such a small setting, including art studios, music rooms, an ICT suite, a gymnasium, and a chapel. Sports provision covers gymnastics, cricket, dance, netball, football, and swimming, while clubs include film, science, book, and coding. SEND support is comprehensive, covering moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health, speech and language communication, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a strong option for families with children who have additional needs, particularly given the high FSM percentage suggests a genuinely inclusive intake. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Front Lawn Primary Academy, 4.4 km away, so Hart Plain's Good rating and oversubscription suggest it is a popular local choice. It suits families seeking a small, improving infant school with strong SEND provision and a clear focus on early years, though those wanting a full primary through to age 11 will need to plan for a transition at Year 3.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Hart Plain Infant School

Helpful Guides for Parents