Wheatfields Infants' and Nursery School
118%
Capacity
282
Pupils
2.8x
Demand
About Wheatfields Infants' and Nursery School
Wheatfields Infants' and Nursery School is a state primary for children aged 3 to 7 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and it is clearly a popular choice among local families. The school currently has 282 pupils on roll against a capacity of 240, meaning it is operating above its official capacity. This demand is reflected in the admissions data for the 2025/26 intake: the school received 165 applications for just 59 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.8 applicants per place. Of those, 52 were first-preference applications, and 47 first-preference offers were made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 3.4%, which is notably low compared with the national average, suggesting the school draws from a relatively affluent catchment. The school has a nursery provision and a mixed gender intake, with no religious character.
Academically, Wheatfields was most recently inspected by Ofsted in January 2025, receiving a Good rating overall, though the inspection was technically a graded inspection that did not judge overall effectiveness. The breakdown shows Good for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and early years provision, while personal development was rated Outstanding. This is a step down from the school's previous inspection in 2014, when it was judged Outstanding across all areas. The Parent View survey, based on 113 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, shows very strong satisfaction: 96% of parents would recommend the school, and 79% strongly agreed that their child is happy there. On the question of SEND support, 72% of parents strongly agreed that the school gives children with special educational needs the support they need, though 11% strongly disagreed.
The school offers a range of facilities including a library, dining hall, outdoor playground, sensory room, art studios, playing fields, and a chapel. Sports on offer include tennis, football, netball, cricket, dance, rounders, and swimming, while clubs include science, choir, book club, chess, gardening, and eco club. SEND provisions cover social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families considering Wheatfields, the key practical point is that it is heavily oversubscribed, so being within the catchment area or having a sibling already at the school will be important. The nearest Outstanding-rated alternative is Skyswood Primary & Nursery School, just 0.7 km away, which may be worth a look if Wheatfields proves difficult to get into. This is a school that suits families who value strong personal development and a supportive community feel, backed by very positive parent feedback.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 7 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Downes Road, St. Albans, St Albans, AL4 9NT |
| Headteacher | Clare Cockburn |
| Local Authority | Hertfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 282 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 3.4% |
| School Capacity | 282 / 240 (118% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Jan 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 24 Mar 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Ofsted Parent View
113 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
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed59
165
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
52 families put this school as their 1st choice (32% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:10
Breakfast club
07:30-08:50
Source: wheatfieldsinfants.herts.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
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%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British62.8%
- Asian13.9%
- Mixed12.5%
- White (other)8.2%
- Black0.4%
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 half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half 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.
9
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
7
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 Wheatfields Infants' and Nursery School
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Contact Information
Downes Road, St. Albans
St Albans, AL4 9NT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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