Hempstead Infant School
94%
Capacity
254
Pupils
2.2x
Demand
About Hempstead Infant School
Hempstead Infant School is a state primary in Medway, serving children aged 4 to 7. It sits within a local authority that contains 76 primary schools, only four of which hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted. The school’s most recent graded inspection, in 2018, awarded it a Good overall, and an ungraded inspection in 2024 confirmed it remains at that level. Among its local peers, Hempstead Infant School is not ranked in the top tier; the highest-scoring schools in the area are The Pilgrim School and Swingate Primary School, both with a ranking score of 87, followed by Leigh Academy High Halstow on 81. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Lordswood School, 2.5 km away. This places Hempstead Infant School as a solid, well-regarded option within Medway’s primary landscape, though families seeking an Outstanding rating may need to look further afield.
Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted report rated overall effectiveness as Good, with leadership and management also Good. However, the early years provision was graded as Requires Improvement, a notable area of weakness. The previous inspection in 2016 had rated the school as Requires Improvement overall, so the current Good rating represents an upgrade. The school does not publish Key Stage 2 SATs results because its pupils leave at age 7, so direct comparison with the Medway LA average of 62% for KS2 is not possible. With 254 pupils on roll against a capacity of 270, the school is nearly full. Its pupil premium eligibility stands at 8.3%, below the national average, indicating a relatively less disadvantaged intake. The school has no sixth form or nursery provision, focusing entirely on the early years and infant phase.
Hempstead Infant School offers a range of facilities including a gymnasium, sports hall, ICT suite, dining hall, and a chapel. Sports provision covers rounders, tennis, athletics, swimming, gymnastics, and cross country, while extracurricular clubs include coding, drama, and film club. The school is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 197 applications for 89 places, with 85 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.21. This suggests strong local demand. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists support for specific learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health, speech and language communication, visual and multi-sensory impairment, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties. This breadth of SEND provision makes it a practical choice for parents seeking an inclusive infant school in Medway, though the Requires Improvement rating for early years is something to weigh up.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 7 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Hempstead Road, Gillingham, Medway, ME7 3QG |
| Headteacher | Paul Cross |
| Local Authority | Medway |
| Number of Pupils | 254 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 8.3% |
| School Capacity | 254 / 270 (94% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Mar 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (13 Mar 2024): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 4 Oct 2018. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
9Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed89
197
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
85 families put this school as their 1st choice (43% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:30-08:30
Source: hempsteadschoolsfederation.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British76.0%
- Mixed9.0%
- Asian3.6%
- White (other)2.0%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
4
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
4
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Hempstead Infant School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Hempstead Road, Gillingham
Medway, ME7 3QG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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