James Peacock Infant and Nursery School

About James Peacock Infant and Nursery School

James Peacock Infant and Nursery School is a state primary in the Nottinghamshire local authority, serving children from age 3 to 7 in the borough of Rushcliffe. It sits within a competitive local landscape where the top-performing peers in the area are John Blow Primary School, Harworth CofE Academy, and Bunny CofE Primary School. The school is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 104 applications for 75 places, with all 75 first-preference applicants offered a spot, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.39. This level of demand suggests strong local confidence in the school. With 295 pupils on roll against a capacity of 317, there is some headroom, but the oversubscription figures indicate that families are keen to secure a place here. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 6.1%, well below the national average, reflecting the relatively affluent catchment. The school has nursery provision on site, making it a natural choice for families looking for continuity from early years through to Key Stage 1.

Academically, James Peacock has made a notable improvement in its most recent Ofsted inspection. In its previous graded inspection in 2022, the school was rated Requires Improvement across all categories, including overall effectiveness, quality of education, and early years provision. By its 2024 inspection, every category had risen to Good, with the school now rated Good for overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This represents a significant turnaround in just over two years. While the school does not publish Key Stage 2 SATs results — it is an infant school, so pupils leave at age 7 before these assessments — the local authority average for KS2 attainment is 61, which provides a benchmark for the primary schools that these children will go on to attend. The Ofsted report highlights that behaviour and attitudes are now Good, a key indicator for parents concerned about school culture.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for a primary of its size, including a sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, ICT suite, art studios, music rooms, and a library. Sports provision covers tennis, athletics, football, gymnastics, and cricket, while extracurricular clubs include drama, coding, science club, art club, film club, and eco club. For children with additional needs, the school has a specific SEND provision focused on speech, language and communication support. The headteacher is Hannah Cutts, who has overseen the recent improvement journey. Given its strong local demand, Good Ofsted rating, and nursery provision, this school is well suited to families in the Rushcliffe area who want a solid start for their child through to Year 2, particularly those who value a broad range of clubs and facilities in a school that has demonstrably raised its standards.

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