Orchard Lea Infant School, Fareham

Requires Improvement
Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 47

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~409m)Possible (~584m)Unlikely (~759m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Clare Hawkins
Pupils:118 / 180 capacity
LA:Hampshire
Phone:01329232563
Address:Kennedy Avenue, Fareham, PO15 6BJ
Federation:The Orchard Lea Federation
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Requires Improvement

Overall

URN:116224
UKPRN:10074116
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Fareham and Waterlooville
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Orchard Lea gives children an excellent start in Reception through strong partnerships with families and careful attention to developing language and speaking skills. Teaching is effective overall, with particular strength in phonics and reading. The school is genuinely inclusive, with thoughtful support helping all children - including those with additional needs and disadvantaged pupils - to progress well and feel valued.

Key Strengths

  • Strong early years provision with excellent relationships with parents and focus on communication and language development
  • Effective teaching of phonics and reading, with leaders taking decisive action to improve outcomes
  • Well-designed personal development programme including educational trips, school visitors and enrichment activities
  • Inclusive approach with effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs
  • High standards of behaviour and attendance, with leaders using family-centred support to build trust

Areas for Improvement

  • Some inconsistency in teaching of handwriting and transcription skills across the school
  • Some staff need clearer guidance on supporting pupils with special educational needs using the school's step-by-step approach
  • Some pupils' knowledge over time is not as deep as leaders intend in the personal development programme

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and as a result pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Educational trips, school visitors, outdoor learning, clubs, music and performance activities

Orchard Lea Infant School is a strong school where children get off to a flying start in Reception and make good progress throughout. Leaders are passionate about improvement and have created a calm, inclusive environment where all pupils feel safe and supported.

At a Glance

23.7%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

22.0

Avg class size

22.0

Infant (KS1)

6

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Frosthole Crescent (adj)
226m · 4 min walk
Hill Park Road (SW-bound)
235m · 4 min walk
Bartlett Close (nr)
250m · 4 min walk
Marlow Close (opp)
253m · 4 min walk
The Greendale (adj)
282m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

66%

Available places

118 pupils

180 capacity

62 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Fareham

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,686
Projected new pupils:422

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Fareham

Admissions Demand - Hampshire

Low demand0.86x oversubscription

Places available

15,583

Applications

13,385

Got 1st preference

92.3%

Got preferred school

98.7%

Primary admissions across Hampshire (2025/26)

Inspection History(108)

Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.22776%

Overall absence

11.65049%

Persistent absence

103

Enrolments

Authorised4.07351%
Unauthorised1.15425%
Persistent (10%+)11.65049%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

3.85238%
18/19
2.24348%
20/21
6.13486%
21/22
6.14317%
22/23
4.60086%
23/24
5.22776%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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