Richard Alibon Primary School Nursery Review

Songs, rhymes and early number work give Richard Alibon’s nursery its clearest educational character. This is the nursery within Richard Alibon Primary School in Dagenham, with entry in September after a child’s third birthday. It offers morning and afternoon sessions, alongside full-time places for eligible families. The practical choice is between a short daily session and a longer weekly entitlement.

Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good following the inspection on 18 and 19 July 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together children’s learning, development and care. In parent language, its learning areas span movement, communication, relationships, early reading and maths, creativity and understanding the world. These are connected parts of early education, so learning to share matters alongside learning about numbers.

In July 2023, early years children sang and performed rhymes enthusiastically. Adults also gave children frequent chances to use early maths independently: children recognised numbers and could identify the next number after a given one. Their understanding rested on earlier teaching about what numbers mean. The useful distinction here is between repeating a number sequence and understanding the quantities behind it.

Curriculum checks. The July 2023 inspection also required better sequencing and checks on retained learning in a few subjects across the school. This was a school-level concern; it should not be read as a specific finding about nursery activities.

In July 2023, inspectors found that children began learning to share, cooperate and manage their emotions in the early years. That gives social learning an explicit place in children’s education, rather than leaving them to work out group life alone.

For a child joining nursery with an identified additional need, staff make a home visit and gather information from the previous setting where relevant. Significant needs known before entry, or an existing Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), prompt a transition meeting with the current provision. This gives adults a chance to prepare around the child’s needs before the move.

For children with SEND, settling arrangements include opportunities to spend time in class, at lunchtime and in the playground. Within the school’s SEND support, parents and teachers agree outcomes through a Personalised Learning Plan (PLP), then discuss progress and support regularly. Families can raise concerns with the class teacher and involve the SEND coordinator when further advice is needed.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, following its normal application process and deadline. Families can apply online, or visit Dagenham Library’s One Stop Shop on the Heathway to apply in person. Treat this as a separate task from arranging nursery attendance.

For children with SEND, preparation for the next class can include meeting the new teacher and teaching assistant before the school year begins. Some children may also have summer-term classroom visits and photo storybooks to make the change more familiar. These support the child’s transition; they do not secure admission.

Morning nursery runs from 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoon nursery runs from noon to 3pm. The 15 statutory hours each week are organised as a daily three-hour morning or afternoon session during term time, when school is open. Families therefore need a routine that fits the chosen session’s collection time.

Some families qualify for a full-time, 30-hour nursery place, depending on work, income, immigration status and the child’s age and circumstances. Nursery enquiries and admissions go through the school office. Keep that route separate from the borough’s Reception application process.