Walsh CofE Infant School
101%
Capacity
182
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About Walsh CofE Infant School
Walsh CofE Infant School in Guildford is a Church of England state primary for children aged 5 to 7, and it is currently running at full capacity with 182 pupils against a published capacity of 180. The school serves a notably diverse intake for the area: 20.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is significantly higher than the national average for primary schools and suggests a catchment that includes families facing economic pressure. Demand for places is strong — for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 121 applications for 60 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.02, with 45 first-preference offers made. That level of competition indicates a school that local parents actively seek out, despite the relatively small size. The headteacher is Pete Bailey, and the school has no nursery or sixth-form provision, focusing entirely on the early primary years.
Academically, Walsh CofE Infant School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025, with all four graded categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — each receiving a Good rating. The early years provision was also judged Good. This represents a change from the school’s previous inspection in 2013, when it was rated Outstanding overall. The Parent View survey, based on 33 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, shows strong satisfaction: 94% of parents said their child is happy at the school (combining strongly agree and agree), and 94% said their child feels safe. However, the picture is more mixed for SEND support: only 50% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, with 40% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing. The school’s SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social and emotional mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a gymnasium, sports hall, playing fields, art studios and a chapel. Sports on offer include gymnastics, football, dance, cross country, cricket and swimming, while clubs extend to coding, science club, choir, eco club and film club. For a small infant school, this breadth of enrichment is notable. The school is oversubscribed, so families applying should be prepared for a competitive process, particularly if they are not within the Church of England catchment. Given its high FSM percentage and strong demand, this is a school that appears to serve a genuinely mixed community well, though parents of children with SEND may want to investigate the support on offer more closely before applying. It suits families who value a faith-based, community-focused infant setting with a wide range of activities.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 5 to 7 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Ash Street, Ash, Guildford, GU12 6LT |
| Headteacher | Pete Bailey |
| Local Authority | Surrey |
| Number of Pupils | 182 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 20.9% |
| School Capacity | 182 / 180 (101% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
10 Jun 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 20 Jul 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Ofsted Parent View
33 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
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
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed60
121
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
45 families put this school as their 1st choice (37% 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
07:45-08:45
After-school care
15:15-18:00
Source: walshschools.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British73.1%
- Asian10.9%
- White (other)4.9%
- Mixed4.9%
- Black1.1%
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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
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.
7
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
5
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 Walsh CofE Infant School
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SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
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Contact Information
Ash Street, Ash
Guildford, GU12 6LT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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