Shenstone School Nursery Review

Sorting shapes gives Shenstone’s early years provision its clearest character: practical learning with objects children can handle and compare. This is nursery provision within a special school for children with severe and complex learning difficulties. Every pupil has an EHCP (education, health and care plan).

In June 2025, Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Outstanding. At that time, early years children were based at Sidcup alongside primary pupils. The judgement belongs to early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Hands-on mathematics gives a concrete picture of learning. In June 2025, children in early years explored shapes using objects, grouping them by their two-dimensional characteristics. That turns an abstract idea into something children can handle and compare.

The nursery’s 2018/2019 curriculum followed the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Its seven learning areas brought together language, physical development and relationships with early literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. In parent language, learning extended beyond letters and numbers to movement, communication and making sense of everyday experiences.

Across Shenstone, the curriculum uses themes to connect learning with individual EHCP outcomes. MOVE adds a practical focus for children participating in the programme: goals can involve lifting the head to show a preference or kicking a ball with siblings. Parents, class teams and other professionals agree individual goals, and practice becomes part of the school routine. These are skills with a purpose beyond the classroom.

Support sits within a wider specialist school team. Staffing includes a nursery nurse, communication assistants, health care assistants and a Family Wellbeing Coordinator; these are school-wide roles, rather than a nursery staffing ratio. A SENCo is also part of the team.

For parents, the Family Wellbeing Lead helps connect families with personalised external support. Early years learning has also been brought into parent sessions: an EYFS Learning Through Play Workshop took place in October 2024, followed by an EYFS literacy coffee morning in February 2025. These gave families opportunities to discuss learning beyond the school day. Safeguarding concerns can be sent directly to the designated safeguarding team at dsl@shenstone-tkat.org.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Shenstone’s special-school placement route runs through Bexley Council’s Special Educational Needs Service, with new admissions confirmed by the Bexley SEN team. The school considers each EHCP against the child’s needs and the suitability of the placement. Families should pursue the Reception placement through that process, rather than treating nursery attendance as confirmation of the next place.

The school day runs from 9.15am to 3.25pm, with lunch between 12.15pm and 1.15pm. These are school-wide hours. They should not be read as a choice of nursery booking sessions.

Prospective families can arrange a parent tour by emailing office@shenstone-tkat.org. The Sidcup site is on St Andrews Road, DA14 4RX, and its office can be reached on 020 8302 1743. A visit offers a practical opportunity to discuss how the provision relates to a child’s individual needs.