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Nursery at Longwood School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A secret garden, a cot room and French for older children give Longwood’s nursery provision a distinctive span, from baby care to preparation for school. Children aged 3 months to 5 years attend the nursery alongside the independent school on Bushey Hall Drive in Bushey. Age groups have separate spaces, so the youngest children’s care and older children’s activities have their own settings.
Frogmore, Springwell, Moatfield and Fisher form the nursery sequence. During the academic year of their fourth birthday, children move into Hillfield or Sarratt, the school’s pre-school classes. There is an important distinction here: the nursery shares the school building but is separately registered and inspected. Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at its inspection of 17 to 19 June 2025; that judgement is not a separate nursery rating.
Play has both planned activities and room for children’s own choices. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) organises learning around language, relationships and physical development, then builds towards early reading, maths, creativity and understanding the world. In parent terms, conversation, movement and imaginative games are part of learning, rather than breaks from it. Montessori equipment is among the resources, alongside construction materials, puzzles and a home corner.
Outdoor provision carries real substance. A 400 square metre play area has an all-weather surface, with a roadway, tunnel and bridge; elsewhere there are planting beds, a secret garden and a log world climbing frame. Bikes, trikes and gardening give children different ways to move and explore. Canopies extend the usable outdoor space beside most groups.
For babies, Frogmore has three rooms plus a cot room. Its garden combines rubber flooring with grass, shade and raised beds containing herbs, vegetables and flowers. Sensory activities and early communication suit this youngest stage. Springwell adds messy play, construction toys and circle-time activities using stories, flash cards and songs, with direct access to an outdoor area.
Older children encounter a more varied activity mix. Fisher combines cooking, imaginative play and puzzles with French and music. Moatfield includes PE, rhymes and outdoor exploration, while self-care becomes part of the daily learning. These are concrete steps towards doing more independently.
Each child has a key worker who acts as the family’s main contact, supports settling and takes responsibility for care and learning. Learning Journals record individual progress; parents can read them and add their own contributions. That creates a shared picture of development across home and nursery. Longwood describes its practitioners as qualified and says many have worked there for over ten years.
Meals are cooked on site. A three-week menu rotation includes a daily vegetarian choice and different options for babies, nursery children and pre-school children. Tea is also provided for wraparound care. Babies have a separate cot room, changing facilities and a milk kitchen; Springwell introduces the potty at nappy changes, and Moatfield supports toilet training.
Additional support. In June 2025, the school needed more precise assessment and better-matched support for some pupils with SEND. This was a school-level concern, rather than a finding about the separately inspected nursery, but it matters to families considering the later school stages.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. A separate Reception application is needed. Parents can apply during the pre-school year; confirm the current application timetable with the school.
Preparation and admission are different matters. Hillfield and Sarratt continue the EYFS through child-led and adult-directed activities, with specialist French, music and movement. Early literacy and numeracy form part of that preparation; they do not secure admission.
The nursery operates from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, throughout the year except bank holidays. Attendance starts at a minimum of two consecutive days, positioned at the beginning or end of the week rather than midweek. That booking condition matters when matching childcare to working days.
Contact the office on 01923 253715 or email info@longwoodschool.co.uk. Nursery visits can be booked for 11am or 2.15pm daily. Ask the school for current charges before booking.
The nursery caters for children from 3 months to 5 years. Children move into the school’s Hillfield or Sarratt pre-school classes during the academic year of their fourth birthday.
Opening hours are 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, throughout the year except bank holidays. The minimum attendance is two consecutive days at the beginning or end of the week.
The grounds include a secret garden, planting beds and a 400 square metre all-weather play area with a roadway, bridge and tunnel. Frogmore also has its own garden.
Meals are prepared on site. Menus rotate over three weeks, with a vegetarian option every day and separate choices for babies, nursery children and pre-school children.
No. Reception requires a separate application. Parents can apply during the pre-school year; confirm the current application timetable with the school. Preparation for school and admission to Reception are separate matters.
