Shirley Infant School is a mainstream primary school in Southampton for children aged 4 to 7. In January 2026, 21 of its 266 pupils (7.9%) were getting SEN support and 5 (1.9%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–7
- 266 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state primary schools across England and in Southampton.
7.9% get SEN support
21 of 266 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Lower than the England average.
1.9% have an EHC plan
5 of 266 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health8
- Speech, language and communication8
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia7
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream primary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 4 to 7
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 266 (places for 270)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Cate Gregory (Executive Headteacher)
- Part of
- Hamwic Education Trust
- Free school meals
- 9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Southampton
- School reference (URN)
- 138903
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Southampton council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, March 2025; school remains Good (September 2019)
Inspected in March 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, September 2019).
Contact and getting there
Wilton Road, Southampton, SO15 5LA
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Rosewood Free School Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.8 miles
- Great Oaks School Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.1 miles
- Mason Moor Primary School, Nursery & Specialist Bases Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.2 miles
- Newlands Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.3 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Shirley Junior School Primary · Ages 7–11 · SEN support 15.5%, EHC plans 2.2% 0.1 miles
- Upper Shirley High School Secondary · Ages 11–16 · SEN support 12%, EHC plans 3.6% 0.1 miles
- Hollybrook Junior School Primary · Ages 7–11 · SEN support 8.7%, EHC plans 3.7% 0.4 miles
All mainstream schools in Southampton SEND schools in Southampton
Questions about Shirley Infant School
How many pupils at Shirley Infant School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 21 of the 266 pupils (7.9%) were getting SEN support and 5 (1.9%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state primary schools it is 15.4% and 4.1%.
What are the most common needs at Shirley Infant School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (8 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (8 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (7 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Shirley Infant School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Shirley Infant School?
Through Southampton council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Shirley Infant School?
You can ask for Shirley Infant School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Shirley Infant School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Mason Moor Primary School, Nursery & Specialist Bases, about 1.2 miles away.
Where is Shirley Infant School?
Wilton Road, Southampton, SO15 5LA, in Southampton.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.