Healdswood Infants' and Nursery School, Sutton-in-Ashfield

Ofsted's report card from its 13 January 2026 inspection grades Healdswood Infants' and Nursery School on 7 areas: 3 expected standard and 4 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Early years - Expected standard. "The early years provision is a captivating home-from-home environment."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school's commitment to inclusion is evident in its daily practice and guides the way it supports pupils and families."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school provides a rich and thoughtfully designed personal development offer that supports pupils' understanding of respect, difference and diversity very well."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Some pupils are not developing the vital skills and knowledge they need to read with fluency and write with accuracy."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Pupils' attendance is below national levels, and persistent absence is too high."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Teaching does not consistently help pupils enough with errors in their writing and skills, including handwriting and spelling."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Leaders' actions to address the poor attendance of some pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, have not led to improvement quickly enough."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded across the school, so that pupils' gaps and misconceptions are addressed effectively, particularly in early reading and writing, enabling pupils to achieve as well as they can across the curriculum. • Leaders should ensure that their work consistently improves pupils' attendance and reduces rates of persistent absence. • Leaders should continue to strengthen their oversight of the school's work so that their actions lead to more rapid improvement, particularly around pupils' achievement, attendance, and teaching".

For September 2026 entry, 27 families put Healdswood Infants' and Nursery School as their first choice and 46 named it as one of their preferences, for 27 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Healdswood Infants' and Nursery School are Skegby Junior Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 68% reading, 70% maths); St Andrew's CofE Primary and Nursery School (0.8 miles, Good, 80% reading, 84% maths); Brierley Forest Primary and Nursery School (1 mile, 44% reading, 38% maths); and St Mary Magdalene CofE Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 57% reading, 67% maths).

13 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Healdswood Infants' and Nursery School (as of April 2026): 85% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (85%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).

42.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

Healdswood Infants' and Nursery School had 13 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Sutton Parkway Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is New Lane (adjacent), 200 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Healdswood Infants' and Nursery School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

Healdswood Infants' and Nursery School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to Healdswood Infants' and Nursery School are Quarrydale Academy (0.7 miles) and Sutton Community Academy (1.5 miles).