Northgate Primary School Nursery Review

Daily stories, songs and rhymes give Northgate’s Ducklings nursery class a clear emphasis on language. Children begin learning to recognise letters and sounds here, making early reading part of the nursery experience rather than something left until later.

Ducklings belongs to Northgate Primary School on Cricketfield Lane in Bishop’s Stortford. The autumn 2026 intake was for children aged three, born between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023. At the school’s inspection on 28 and 29 November 2023, Ofsted judged early years provision Good. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) shapes the learning. Its prime areas bring together movement and physical development, communication, and children’s social and emotional development. Alongside these sit literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. For parents, this means the curriculum extends beyond early reading and counting to how children communicate, relate to others and develop physically.

Language has a daily place through rhymes, songs and stories. In November 2023, children were developing vocabulary through these activities, while nursery learning included the foundations of recognising sounds and letters. These are concrete starting points for later reading.

Staff also record how children engage, what motivates them and how they think, using the Characteristics of Effective Learning. The focus therefore includes children’s approach to learning alongside what they can do. Northgate aims to help children become more independent and confident, taking their previous experiences and age into account.

Settling happily and feeling secure are explicit aims for Northgate’s early years team. The school places importance on cooperation with families, with home and school working together to support the child.

For children with SEND, Northgate uses adjustments or additional support, reviewed through an assess, plan, do, review cycle. Parents can discuss progress, strengths and concerns with the class teacher or SEND coordinator. The wider school has a sensory room and a full-time Pastoral Lead, giving families identifiable support roles and a concrete support space.

Lunch can be brought from home or purchased as a hot school meal. Early years children receive fruit or vegetables through the National School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, with milk or water at morning snack time. Milk is free until a child turns five. Northgate prohibits nuts and foods containing them, so packed lunches need to follow that restriction.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place, and it does not confer priority under Northgate’s 2026/27 admission criteria. Families must make a separate Reception application, even when their child already attends Ducklings. Treat that application as a distinct decision and deadline.

Reception applications go through Hertfordshire County Council, online at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk. For September 2026 entry, the application deadline was 15 January 2026; that cycle has passed. Nursery admission therefore needs to be considered separately from the later allocation of a school place.

From September 2026, session choices depend on funding. The school requires children to attend five morning or five afternoon sessions each week. Families considering a two-and-a-half-day pattern should confirm how that requirement applies. Mornings run from 08:35 to 11:35 and afternoons from 12:20 to 15:20, each totalling 15 hours per week. The 30-hour funded pattern runs from 08:35 to 15:20 Monday to Thursday, followed by Friday morning. Friday afternoon can be added for an extra charge.

Two-and-a-half-day choices combine Monday and Tuesday with Wednesday morning, or Thursday and Friday with Wednesday afternoon. These patterns total 16.5 hours because full days include a lunch break. The additional 1.5 hours require payment unless the family has a 30-hour code and is not using all the other 15 hours at another setting, allowing Northgate to claim the additional 1.5 hours. Additional purchased sessions are paid half-termly in advance. Contact the school for current charges.

Collection arrangements are agreed at the start of the academic year; changes require discussion with the School Business Manager. For enquiries or to arrange a school tour, contact admin@northgate.herts.sch.uk or call 01279 652376.