Village Infants' School, Dagenham
Village Infants' School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 7 in Dagenham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. It was 91% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Barking and Dagenham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Village Infants' School in detail
Village Infants' School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football and recorder.
The school runs after-school care.
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Village Infants' School
For September 2026 entry, 70 families put Village Infants' School as their first choice and 113 named it as one of their preferences, for 71 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Village Infants' School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Village Infants' School are William Ford CofE Junior School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 79% reading, 76% maths); Thomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns Road (0.3 miles, Good, 86% reading, 84% maths); Parsloes Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 83% reading, 80% maths); and Marsh Green Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 77% reading, 89% maths).
William Ford CofE Junior SchoolThomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns RoadParsloes Primary SchoolMarsh Green Primary School
What parents say
25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Village Infants' School (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 71% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (71%).
Who goes there
60.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (26%), White British (24%) and Black (24%).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Dagenham Heathway, about 470 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ford Road (RM10) (->w), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Village Infants' School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Village Infants' School issued 2 suspensions, 0.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Village Infants' School are Dagenham Park CofE School (0.3 miles), Brook Sixth Form and Academy (0.9 miles), Eastbrook School (1 mile) and Goresbrook School (1 mile).
Dagenham Park CofE SchoolBrook Sixth Form and AcademyEastbrook SchoolGoresbrook School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2016, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a warm, welcoming school where children feel safe and happy. Teachers have high expectations and pupils respond well, with most meeting their goals. The school does an excellent job supporting children with additional needs and helps pupils who struggle with reading catch up quickly - something parents really appreciate.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on early reading and phonics - pupils become fluent readers with good support for those who need extra help
- Excellent care for pupils with SEND through the 'Sunshine' resource base, enabling them to develop well alongside peers
- Clear school values of perseverance, resilience, kindness and curiosity create a positive, respectful culture
- Improved and well-structured wider curriculum with ambitious subject plans
- Effective behaviour management strategies and strong home-school partnerships
Areas for Improvement
- Knowledge checks in some subjects are not used regularly, meaning gaps in pupils' understanding are not identified early enough
- In early years, some activities lack clear learning objectives, leaving children's development to chance rather than ensuring they learn key knowledge
- Pupils sometimes struggle to apply what they have learned - for example, they can name artists but cannot describe their styles or explain why historical figures are important
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective - the school creates an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Clubs, visits to London (The Great Fire), visits to nature reserves (The Gruffalo experience), visits to gurdwara (Sikhism), visiting local artists, orchestra workshops, skipping workshops, school allotment (growing and cooking fruits and vegetables), school council elections, visits from professionals
Village Infants' School is a caring and ambitious school that has effectively maintained the good standards from its previous inspection. The school creates a safe, happy environment where pupils behave well and are supported to achieve success.
At a Glance
17.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
25 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
26.4
Avg class size
28.2
Infant (KS1)
11
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Village Infants' School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Village Infants' School.
- Parsloes Extended School700m away · Not yet graded
- Hunters Hall Extended Provision990m away · Not yet graded
- Sun and Moon Playcare Scheme990m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Village Infants' School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Village Infants' School is in Barking and Dagenham; for families living there:
Apply to Barking and Dagenham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 83
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 12
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 83 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 73 slight.
12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 4 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
14 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Barking and Dagenham is 65 (the median across 68 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Village Infants' School
Will you get a place at Village Infants' School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Village Infants' School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Village Infants' School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Village Infants' School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Barking and Dagenham, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Village Infants' School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Barking and Dagenham got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
91%
Near capacity
247 pupils
270 places
23 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Dagenham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dagenham
Across Barking and Dagenham council
Places available
3,884
Applications
2,970
Got 1st preference
95.3%
Got preferred school
99.3%
All primary applications across Barking and Dagenham council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
53
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
21.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
296
Total Pupils
141
Boys
155
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
19.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£61,254
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,077
Per pupil
£1961k
Total funding
£94k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.4%
Overall absence
21.5%
Persistent absence
181
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Village Infants' School
Questions parents ask about Village Infants' School
What is Village Infants' School's Ofsted rating?
Village Infants' School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Village Infants' School?
No fixed boundary. When Village Infants' School is oversubscribed, Barking and Dagenham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Village Infants' School?
Village Infants' School was not full in 2025: it ran at 91% of its 270 places.
How big are the classes at Village Infants' School?
Classes at Village Infants' School average 26.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Village Infants' School?
Village Infants' School has around 296 pupils on roll. 17% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Village Infants' School?
6.4% of sessions were missed at Village Infants' School in 2024/25. 21.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Village Infants' School?
Apply through Barking and Dagenham's coordinated admissions process, naming Village Infants' School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Village Infants' School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Village Infants' School: Parsloes Extended School (700m away, registered, not yet graded), Hunters Hall Extended Provision (990m away, registered, not yet graded) and Sun and Moon Playcare Scheme (990m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Village Infants' School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 83 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 73 slight. 12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 4 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 14 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Barking and Dagenham is 65 (the median across 68 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Village Infants' School?
Village Infants' School is at Ford Road, Dagenham, Essex, RM10 9JS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)