St James CofE Primary School Nursery Review

A school-based start within a Church of England community defines the nursery at St James. Introduced in September 2025, it sits within the school's Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with a shared curriculum covering children's communication, relationships, physical development and early learning. The school's values of Respect and Kindness give families a clear sense of its Christian character.

Timing matters when considering inspection judgements. Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Good in May 2025, before the nursery's September opening. That judgement concerns the early years provision operating at the time; it should not be read as a grading of the new nursery.

The EYFS curriculum starts with learning to communicate, developing physical skills and building confidence with other people. Alongside those foundations come reading and writing, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. For parents, this means early education includes social and physical development alongside the beginnings of literacy and number work.

Play provides a practical route into those skills. The school's EYFS approach to personal and social development uses imagined situations and activities drawn from children's experiences, with resources indoors and outside. Children can practise expressing feelings and responding to others through something familiar: playing together.

Music also belongs in everyday early years routines. The curriculum includes exploring percussion, changing the voice to convey feelings and moving in response to music. Starting and stopping together gives children a concrete way to practise listening and joining a group.

Understanding the world begins close to home. EYFS activities include discussing family experiences, noticing differences between places and observing plants and animals. These turn familiar experiences into opportunities to ask questions and talk about change. Digital exploration has a place too: iPads are available within the school's EYFS environment, where children can choose activities according to their interests.

For learning concerns, the school's SEND process starts with the class teacher, who can involve the special educational needs coordinator. Persistent concerns lead to a discussion with parents about additional help and possible specialist referrals. This gives families a defined route for raising difficulties.

Support plans are discussed and reviewed with parents each term. The process connects classroom provision with family input, rather than leaving parents outside decisions about their child's learning. For a longer conversation with teaching staff, the school's communication arrangements allow an appointment to be made.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the deadline for their child's entry year.

For September 2026 entry, the school directed families to Enfield's online application route through eAdmissions and required a school application form as well. That cycle's deadline was the evening of 15 January 2026. These are past-cycle arrangements, rather than a deadline for a child joining Reception in a later year.

Nursery enquiries go directly to the school office on 020 8804 1987. The admissions page also provides a nursery application form. Families can arrange a school visit by contacting the office, giving them an opportunity to consider the setting before applying.