Merton Infant School and Nursery
Romsey Close, Popley Way, Popley, Basingstoke, RG24 9HBOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Merton Infant School and Nursery is a primary school in Basingstoke for ages 2 to 7. It is one of the 600 schools in Hampshire. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 8 July 2025, report published 15 September 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Outstanding
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 8 July 2025
Pupils bubble with enthusiasm when they talk about their school. Being a pupil here is like belonging to a big family with relatives all around the world. Whenever pupils join, great care is taken to settle them into school life. New arrivals who speak English as an additional language (EAL) are admirably supported by 'young interpreters'. The diversity of the school community and the many home languages spoken are widely celebrated. Nurturing pupils' personal development and well-being are front and centre of the school's work. Staff are extremely caring and supportive. Pupils develop a 'pocket of tricks' to help them manage their emotions and boost their self-esteem. They enjoy each other's company. Particularly impressive is pupils' understanding of their place in the world and their awareness of how, even at their age, they can make it a better place. The 'MERTON' values are much more than words on a page. Staff explicitly show, teach and encourage the learning habits pupils need to succeed. Day in, day out, pupils are 'motivated', striving for 'excellence', treating others with 'respect', working as a 'team', grasping 'opportunities' and 'never giving up'. They attend regularly and achieve well. The well-designed curriculum hooks pupils in, broadens their experiences and builds their learning over time.
What the school should improve
- Work to fully integrate the pre-school is ongoing. The provision for two- to four-year- olds is not of the same very high standard as in the Reception classes. The school should continue its work to develop the pre-school curriculum and its implementation, ensuring particularly that it meets the needs of the very youngest children and those with SEND.
- The ambitions for the main school curriculum are not fully realised. Pupils' skills in some subjects are, therefore, not quite as well developed as they could be. The school should keep a careful check to ensure that the curriculum changes it has identified are needed are enacted, embedded and effective.
Pupil numbers and mix
216 pupils on roll, with places for 270
Schools near Merton Infant School and Nursery
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merton Junior School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Good | 46% met the expected standard |
| St Bede's Catholic Primary School | 0.3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 85% met the expected standard |
| Oakridge Infant School | 0.4 miles | Report card: Strong standard | Not published |
| Oakridge Junior School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 77% met the expected standard |
| South View Infant and Nursery School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 2 to 7
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mrs Larissa James
- Phone
- 01256324507
- Address
- Romsey Close, Popley Way, Popley, Basingstoke, RG24 9HB
- Local authority
- Hampshire
- URN
- 116004
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.