Millhouse Primary School Nursery Review

A home corner, a dressing-up box and life-size body pictures give Millhouse’s nursery learning a recognisable starting point: children themselves. Families, feelings and what small hands can do are the ingredients of its autumn topic, Marvellous me! That makes the learning concrete and personal.

The nursery forms part of Millhouse Primary School in Laindon, Basildon. When the combined primary school opened in September 2016, it included a 52-place nursery. Early years provision was graded Good at the Ofsted inspection on 15 and 16 October 2024. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Marvellous me! connects conversation, movement and making things. Children explore who belongs to their family, their age and their name. In the home corner, they imitate familiar people; dressing up gives them another way to explore those roles. These are approachable subjects for children learning to talk about themselves and others.

Physical development gets practical attention. Buttons and zips sit alongside scissors and balls, linking small movements with everyday tasks. Running, skipping, hopping and kicking provide bigger movements. A texture table introduces different surfaces, while handprints and footprints turn parts of the body into creative materials.

Portrait activities include drawing and working with beads as finger gym. Children also explore facial features, listening and expressing feelings. Rhythms are clapped or beaten out, adding sound and movement to the topic. The early years foundation stage (EYFS) here includes opportunities to develop communication, physical skills and emotional understanding through these activities.

Books connect with the same ideas. Funny bones, My hands and The family book are among the related titles. In October 2024, early years children paid close attention to selected stories read by teachers, supporting their interest in reading. Books and practical activities therefore give children different ways into familiar subjects.

Emotional development belongs alongside the learning activities. In October 2024, children in the early years were learning to handle their emotions, and established routines began in the early years. Together with activities about showing feelings, this gives emotional understanding a place in the nursery experience.

Millhouse aims for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate fully in school life and access both academic and social learning. Families can contact the inclusion team through admin@millhouse.essex.sch.uk to discuss their child’s needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate school application through Essex County Council and submit it by the deadline given on the application form. Living within the catchment does not remove that requirement. School places cannot be offered directly to parents, so choosing the nursery and applying for Reception remain separate decisions.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 01268 543584 or email admin@millhouse.essex.sch.uk. The office operates from 8:00am to 4:00pm. Millhouse is on Tavistock Road, Laindon, Basildon, SS15 5QF.

Families can arrange a school visit through the office once their child has reached three years old. An appointment offers a practical opportunity to discuss the nursery before making a choice.