Lowe's Wong Infant School
80%
Capacity
169
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About Lowe's Wong Infant School
Lowe's Wong Infant School's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated the school as Requires Improvement overall, a notable shift from its previous Outstanding rating in 2009. The inspection report shows that while the school's early years provision and personal development were judged as Good, the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all require improvement. With 169 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, the school is not full, and 8.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The school serves children aged 5 to 7 in the Newark and Sherwood area of Nottinghamshire, and headteacher Aly Speed leads a team that is clearly under pressure to address the issues identified by inspectors.
As an infant school, Lowe's Wong does not publish Key Stage 2 SATs results, since its pupils move on to junior school before that assessment point. The local authority average for Key Stage 2 attainment across Nottinghamshire primary schools is 61, but this figure is not directly comparable to an infant school's performance. The school's most recent Ofsted breakdown provides the clearest picture of academic quality: the quality of education was graded as Requires Improvement, with behaviour and attitudes also requiring improvement. In the previous inspection, the school achieved Outstanding across all graded areas, including early years provision, leadership and management, and overall effectiveness. The drop in rating suggests significant challenges have emerged in the intervening years, and parents considering the school will want to understand what steps are being taken to address the inspectors' concerns.
The school offers a range of facilities including an ICT suite, library, forest school, art studios, gymnasium, and playing fields, plus a chapel. Sports provision includes dance, cricket, rounders, football, and swimming, while clubs cover choir, drama, book club, science club, film club, and coding. For children with additional needs, the school lists provisions for social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties or disabilities. The school was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, with 84 applications for 35 places and all 35 first-preference offers accepted, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.4. This suggests strong local demand despite the current Ofsted rating, and families who value a broad range of activities and a forest school setting may find the school appealing, though they should weigh this against the inspection findings.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 5 to 7 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Queen Street, Southwell, Newark and Sherwood, NG25 0AA |
| Headteacher | Aly Speed |
| Local Authority | Nottinghamshire |
| Number of Pupils | 169 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 8.9% |
| School Capacity | 169 / 210 (80% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
29 Nov 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 18 Jan 2024. 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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed35
84
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
35 families put this school as their 1st choice (42% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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 British85.8%
- White (other)4.7%
- Mixed4.2%
- Asian3.0%
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 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2
Oversubscribed
3
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 Lowe's Wong 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
Queen Street, Southwell
Newark and Sherwood, NG25 0AA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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