Definition

Noun: A school for very young children, specifically in the British education system, catering to children typically between the ages of five and seven. It represents the first stage of primary education.

Usage

The term "infant school" is used to refer to the specific institution itself. It is a countable noun. - Her daughter has just started at the local infant school. - The infant school organizes a play-based curriculum.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• As part of a compound: While "infant school" itself is the target term, it can be part of larger institutional names (e.g., ).
• In educational discourse: The term is often used when discussing early years education policy, pedagogy, or school structures within the UK context.

Variants and Related Words

• Infant (noun): A very young child or baby.
• Primary school (noun): In the UK, this often comprises an infant school (for ages 5-7) and a junior school (for ages 7-11).
• Reception (noun): In England, the first year of compulsory schooling in an infant school, for children aged 4-5.
• Key Stage 1 (noun): The stage of the UK National Curriculum for pupils aged 5 to 7, typically taught in infant schools.

Synonyms

• First school (noun): A term sometimes used in parts of England for a similar age range.
• Lower school (noun): Can be used in some contexts to denote the younger division of a primary school.

Notes on Meaning

This term is culturally specific to the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries. In other educational systems (e.g., the United States), equivalent stages are usually called "kindergarten" and "first grade" within an elementary school.

Noun

1. British school for children aged 5-7