Oakwood Infant and Nursery School, Clacton-on-Sea

Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades Oakwood Infant and Nursery School on 7 areas: 4 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "In the early years and key stage 1, pupils mostly secure the necessary accuracy and fluency in reading, spelling, handwriting and number facts."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The curriculum in all subjects is well sequenced and ambitious."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise reading."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders and staff care passionately about pupils' wellbeing."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Over time the school's persistent absence rates have remained high."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Leaders do not analyse the impact of their work to help disadvantaged pupils well enough."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Leaders' evaluation of the school's effectiveness lacks precision."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should evaluate the impact of the school's pupil premium strategy more effectively to ensure that initiatives regarding attendance and academic support benefit disadvantaged pupils as fully as possible"; "Leaders need to better analyse attendance information so that they can improve their work to increase the attendance of all pupils, including those with high rates of persistent absence"; "Leaders and governors should take a more strategic approach to improvement so that they consistently and quickly identify and improve aspects of provision which are not at the expected standard".

In its own words: "Oakwood Infant and Nursery School is on the site of the former Windsor School. We have vibrant and colourful classrooms, where lots of learning (and fun) takes place. As well as a large playground, we have a wildlife area, a school field and our own wood!"

The school runs after-school care.

For September 2026 entry, 59 families put Oakwood Infant and Nursery School as their first choice and 95 named it as one of their preferences, for 63 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Oakwood Infant and Nursery School are Alton Park Junior School (0.1 miles, Requires improvement, 56% reading, 53% maths); St Clare's Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 86% reading, 84% maths); Ravens Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 57% reading, 59% maths); and White Hall Academy and Nursery (0.7 miles, Good, 66% reading, 69% maths).

44.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 26 pupils (8.7%) received SEN support and 6 (2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Clacton-on-Sea Rail Station, about 1030 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Jameson Road (adjacent), 260 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Oakwood Infant and Nursery School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 537 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Oakwood Infant and Nursery School issued 8 suspensions, 2.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Oakwood Infant and Nursery School are Lift Clacton (0.6 miles) and Clacton County High School (1 mile).