The Hermitage Infant School

About The Hermitage Infant School

The Hermitage Infant School is a state primary in Surrey, catering for children aged 2 to 7 in Woking. It sits within a local authority that contains 298 primary schools, 33 of which hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted. While the school itself is rated Good, its nearest Outstanding neighbour is St Hugh of Lincoln Catholic Primary School, just 0.3 kilometres away. Among Surrey’s top-performing peers, South Farnham School, The Raleigh School, and Cardinal Newman Catholic Primary School lead the rankings, setting a high benchmark in the area. The Hermitage Infant School is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 119 applications for 57 places, with 43 first-preference offers made. That works out at roughly two applicants for every place, a clear sign of local demand. With 16 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a mixed catchment. Headteacher Clare Spires leads a school that is close to capacity — 250 pupils against a 270-place limit — and offers nursery provision for the youngest children.

Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025 marked a notable improvement. Its previous graded inspection in October 2022 rated overall effectiveness as Requires Improvement, with a 3 in quality of education and a 2 in early years provision. The 2025 inspection judged the school Good across the board, with early years provision rising to Outstanding. Quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all received a Good rating. The inspection did not assign an overall effectiveness grade, but the trajectory is clearly upward. Parent feedback is strong: 95 per cent of the 57 respondents would recommend the school. On specific questions, 96 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 95 per cent felt their child does well. The school’s support for SEND children drew a more mixed response — 73 per cent agreed or strongly agreed, but 18 per cent strongly disagreed — which is worth noting for families with specific needs.

The school’s facilities include art studios, music rooms, a sports hall, a sensory room, an ICT suite, and a forest school area, alongside outdoor playgrounds and a chapel. Sports on offer range from gymnastics and netball to cross country and cricket, while clubs include chess, eco club, book club, choir, and drama. The school lists SEND provisions for a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. For families in Woking, particularly those looking for an infant-only setting with a nursery, The Hermitage Infant School is a popular choice — oversubscription confirms that. The journey from Requires Improvement to Good, with an Outstanding early years rating, suggests a school that has found its footing under current leadership. It suits parents who value a broad range of activities and a strong pastoral focus, and who are comfortable with a school that is still building its academic reputation within a competitive local authority.

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