Starting school for the first time can be daunting for children and parents alike. Here at Wootton Bassett Infants' School we strive to make the transition as easy as possible.

We understand choosing a school for your little one can be a daunting task so we welcome visits from prospective parents and carers all year round. To arrange a visit and chat with either Mrs Pass, Headteacher please call 01793 852254 or email admin@woottonbassett-inf.wilts.sch.uk.

Open Events for Intake September 2027 - TBC dates and times will be published here when available.

School Brochure

Our school brochure is divided into two sections

Part 1 - An Introduction to Wootton Bassett Infants' School (updated for Sept 2026)

Part 2 - The Curriculum

Applying for place

Applications are made through Wiltshire Council Admissions portal here: Admissions (wiltshire.gov.uk)

Information for School Starters

It is an exciting time for parents preparing for their child to start school in Reception. However, this excitement can often be met with worry, as uncertain times can raise questions and worries. The way we talk about this transition can play an important role in helping you and your child feel reassured and confident. To help answer questions and find the best ways to support your child we would like to share with you a dedicated website: https://startingreception.co.uk/. It includes information for creating healthy routines, tips for preparing you and your child, how to support additional needs, brushing their teeth, potty training and so much more.

You can also find details of recommended vaccinations before your child starts school CLICK HERE and uniform is purchased through myclothing.com.

Here's a song to listen to with your child about the steps of starting school. MCGrammar - Steps for School Song

Best Start in Life - Cracking Communication

‘The Best Start in Life Strategy 2025 focuses on supporting children from pregnancy to age

 five through integrated family services, early education, and health support to ensure

 every child can thrive.’

Core Principles

The strategy recognises that the early years are a crucial time in a child’s development. Its aim is to make sure every family—no matter their circumstances—can access the right help at the right time. This includes parenting support, health guidance, and high‑quality early education. Together, these help children build the communication, emotional, and social skills they need to feel confident and ready for school.

At Wootton Bassett Infant School, we fully embrace these principles and are committed to supporting each child’s early development so they can flourish from the very beginning.

Giving every child the best start in life - GOV.UK

🌱 Helping Your Child Build Strong Communication Skills

The early years are a vital time for developing speaking, listening and interaction.

 What we do:

• Offer rich speech, language and communication (SLC) activities.
• Read quality books to the children and focus on language both for conversational and learning experiences.
• From the outset we use simple assessments and observations to spot children who may need extra help.
• Work closely with pre-schools, and speech therapists to support families as early as we can. When we start our visits, we talk to the children and the staff at the pre-schools to determine who might need some extra support.

🤝 Working in Partnership with Parents

Parents have told national services they often struggle to find reliable guidance about child development. The strategy aims to make information clearer and easier to access.

How we support you:

• Open sessions where you can come into EYFS to see how children learn through play.
• Invitations to school workshops before the children start, in the first week and throughout the year to get to know you; share school practice; help you to understand curriculum, expectations and the support we can offer.
• Pre-school children are invited to story sessions in our library/ outdoor learning afternoons/ stay and play sessions/ events like the Reception Nativity and we open our door for a community event every September when the ‘Scarecrow Trail’ takes over the town!
• Friendly workshops (coffee mornings) during the school year on routines, communication, self‑regulation, sleep and more.
• Regular newsletters from school. Website pages with links and support that signpost trusted advice from outside agencies, strategies and from BestStartinLife.gov.uk.
• Close links with outside agencies so we can signpost/ refer children if there are concerns about a child’s development.
• Regular meeting to talk about your child’s progress.
• Open door policy.

🎓 High‑Quality Teaching in the Early Years

The strategy highlights the importance of well‑trained, confident staff who understand how young children learn.

In our school:

• We have an experienced, enthusiastic EYFS team.
• EYFS staff take part in ongoing training in early years strategies and approaches including communication development and play‑based learning. A play-based learning approach continues into KS1 with designated ‘Busy Time’ for all children in school.
• Well resourced Busy Time activities that support the children’s communication, language and learning linked to the early years and National Curriculum.
• We use evidence‑based approaches such as Cracking Communication in EYFS and KS1.
• Reception and Early Years work closely together so children experience a smooth, consistent transition. Our teachers visit the pre-schools to get to know the children, understand their needs and form early positive relationships.      

💛 Supporting Children Who Need Extra Help

Reducing inequalities and supporting disadvantaged families is a key priority.

How we do this:

• Identify children needing help early through observation and partnership with families.
• Create tailored transition and learning plans for vulnerable children.
• Link families with additional services, including mental health, SEND, and financial support.

·         We are recognised as an ‘Affordable school’  and everything we do in school is implemented through the lens of affordability. We have a designated email address affordability@woottonbassett-inf.wilt.sch.uk  where you can share financial challenges or concerns on a confidential platform.

·         Our staff are trained in the ‘Five to Thrive’ approach.

• We have a designated wellbeing lead.
• Children have access to a wide range of resources to support their self-regulation and wellbeing.

·         Our SEN provision map shows what is available for all children but also how we can support specific and additional needs.

🎒 Helping Families Prepare for School

Many parents feel unsure about what “school‑ready” means. The Best Start in Life campaign aims to provide simple, clear guidance.

We support by:

• Offering practical school‑readiness tips through our parent booklet and school sessions before the children start. 
• We run sessions before the children start and in their first week at school to help parents understand what ‘school ready’ means and how they can support their children at home.
• Running open events focused on school routines, how we promote independence, and early communication. Parents are invited to visit the school to see how learning happens through play. This helps families understand routines and expectations, building trust and positive relationships.
• Providing home visits and taster sessions to make starting school a happy and positive experience where the children feel a sense of belonging form the outset.
• Short but progressive transition period which gives the children (and Parents) time to adjust gradually to the demands of the school environment.
• We have an open-door policy for any issues or queries.