Hempstead Infant School
Hempstead Road, Hempstead, Gillingham, ME7 3QGOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Hempstead Infant School is a primary school in Gillingham for ages 4 to 7. It is one of the 110 schools in Medway. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in September 2018.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 12 September 2018, report published 4 October 2018
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Requires improvement
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 12 March 2024
Pupils at Hempstead Infant School are friendly, cheerful and respectful. They flourish in the safe and happy environment. Pupils enjoy their learning and value the caring staff who are always there to help them. The core values of 'challenge, resilience, confidence and respect' are woven into the fabric of the school. Pupils understand these clearly, showing kindness to others and a determination to succeed in their work. The school expects pupils to behave well. Pupils focus attentively during lessons. Right from the start of early years, children benefit from well-structured routines where they get into great habits. Children in early years are industrious, curious learners. Pupils enjoy attending extra-curricular clubs such as archery, tag rugby and performing arts. They experience learning outside the classroom, through a range of visits and trips. Through their 'helping hands' roles, older pupils support the youngest children at lunchtime. They enjoy being helpful and know that they make a valuable contribution to school life. Parents and carers are unanimous in their appreciation of the school. They commend the strong support that it provides for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and value the regular information that they receive.
What the school should improve
- In a few subjects, the curriculum has not been designed precisely enough. The exact knowledge that pupils should be taught has not been clearly identified. This means that there can be variation in the content that is delivered by staff. Staff are not able to check with certainty that pupils have learned and retained. The school should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects is planned with the same degree of precision as the strongest. The school should also refine its assessment systems so that it can assured that pupils have learned and remembered the most important knowledge.
- A few members of staff do not have strong pedagogical expertise in delivering reading and mathematics. They do not support pupils' learning as well as the most effective members of staff. The school should ensure that training is put in place for staff who have less expertise in delivering reading and mathematics.
Pupil numbers and mix
251 pupils on roll, with places for 270
Schools near Hempstead Infant School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hempstead Junior School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Good | 72% met the expected standard |
| Fairview Community Primary School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Good | 73% met the expected standard |
| Deanwood Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 28% met the expected standard |
| St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 70% met the expected standard |
| Parkwood Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 4 to 7
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mr Paul Cross
- Phone
- 01634336963
- Address
- Hempstead Road, Hempstead, Gillingham, ME7 3QG
- Local authority
- Medway
- URN
- 118555
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.