Longlands Primary School and Nursery: Nursery Review

A sensory tent, an investigation station and daily outdoor learning give Longlands’ nursery a character built around exploration. Nursery forms part of the school’s Foundation Stage alongside Reception, with a nursery teacher, an EYFS leader and support staff within the early years team. The emphasis is on play, relationships and children’s interests.

This is school-based early education with room for children to choose their own activity. Adult-led teaching also has a place, bringing focused work into a day that combines independent exploration with guided learning.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings learning and care together. Here, its seven areas connect language, movement and emotional development with literacy, maths, creativity and understanding the world. In practice, children choose play activities while adults introduce focused teaching. Provision changes each week in response to interests, topics and the seasons, so the activities can follow what children are curious about.

The physical spaces give that approach substance. A book corner sits alongside areas for construction, imaginative play and making marks; sand, water and the sensory tent add different ways to investigate. Children use indoor spaces and go outdoors daily. Labels and distinct activity zones are intended to help them make choices independently.

Early reading starts with listening and speaking. Nursery uses Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, specifically its Foundations for Phonics guidance: daily practice joining spoken sounds together, supported by stories and rhymes. This gives families a clear picture of the nursery emphasis, with language development forming the groundwork for reading.

Across the Foundation Stage, named approaches include HFL ESSENTIALMATHS and Drawing Club. Jigsaw supports learning about feelings and relationships, with themes including Healthy Me and Dreams and Goals. Activities extend beyond classroom routines: early years children have taken part in dance, science and food-making events, while nursery children joined Reception for a trip to Southend. These are examples of experiences rather than a fixed weekly timetable.

Parents can follow learning through Tapestry, where photographs, assessments and staff observations build each child’s journal. Reading diaries and curriculum meetings provide further contact. Weekly opportunities to read together in the classroom and craft mornings each term give parents a practical role in school life, beyond receiving updates.

In November 2024, the early years inspection findings highlighted resources selected around individual children’s needs, alongside adult support for concentration, listening and vocabulary. Staff demonstrated new words and encouraged children to try them during activities. That makes language support part of everyday participation, rather than a separate task. The same findings identified firm early mathematical foundations.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the applicable deadline. Treat choosing nursery and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.

Nursery and Reception belong to the same Foundation Stage, and the Southend visit provides an example of children taking part in an experience together. Shared experiences should be considered separately from the allocation of school places.

For nursery enquiries or contact with the early years team, use the school office: 01992 462090 or admin@longlands.herts.sch.uk. Longlands is on Nunsbury Drive in Broxbourne, postcode EN10 6AG. The office is the direct contact point for families considering the provision.