Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery

About Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery

Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery has turned a corner. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2025, inspectors awarded the school a Good rating for overall effectiveness, a clear step up from the Requires Improvement judgement it received in its previous graded inspection in 2023. The turnaround is particularly striking in the early years and personal development categories, both of which were judged Outstanding. Behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management, also received Outstanding marks. This means that for a school catering to children aged three to seven, the foundations are now rated very highly indeed. While the school does not publish Key Stage 2 results — its pupils move on to junior school before that stage — the inspection narrative makes clear that the quality of education is now Good, and the early years provision is among the best in the local authority. For parents in Crawley looking for a strong start for their child, this is a school that has demonstrably improved on its recent past.

The school’s academic story is best understood through its Ofsted grades rather than exam data, given its infant-only age range. In the 2025 inspection, the quality of education was rated Good, up from a grade 3 (Requires Improvement) in 2023. The early years provision, which covers the Nursery and Reception classes, was judged Outstanding, as was personal development. Behaviour and attitudes also scored Outstanding, and leadership and management received the same top mark. These are strong signals that the school is now well-led and that children are thriving in a calm, purposeful environment. Parent feedback backs this up: in the most recent Parent View survey, 95% of respondents said they would recommend the school, and 79% strongly agreed that their child is happy there. With 242 pupils on roll against a capacity of 270, the school is not yet full, but it is oversubscribed for 2025/26 admissions, receiving 179 applications for 68 places, with 54 first-preference offers made.

Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery is a state primary in Crawley, West Sussex, with a mixed intake and no religious character. It offers a Nursery provision for three-year-olds, which is a practical bonus for local families. The school’s facilities include a library, music rooms, a dining hall, playing fields, a sensory room, and even a chapel. Sports on offer range from gymnastics and swimming to netball and cross country, and there are clubs for gardening, drama, and choir. For children with additional needs, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. In the Parent View survey, 65% of respondents strongly agreed that SEND children receive the support they need. The school is oversubscribed, with an oversubscription ratio of 2.63, so early application is advisable. It suits families who want a strong early-years foundation, a clear improvement trajectory, and a school where behaviour and personal development are rated outstanding.

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