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Nursery at St Luke's Catholic Academy
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Gingerbread family figures, photo collages and conversations in the garden give this nursery its character: young children learning about the people around them, with Catholic faith woven into their activities. The provision belongs to St Luke's Catholic Academy on Pyenest Road in Harlow. It is part of the school’s early years provision.
Ofsted graded early years provision Good at the inspection on 13 and 14 December 2023. That judgement covers the school’s early years, rather than giving the nursery a separate rating.
Family, happiness and friendship give the nursery’s Caritas activities a recognisable shape. Children make gingerbread figures to represent family members, build photographic collages around things that make them happy, and create a collage of faces when exploring friendship. These turn ideas about care and belonging into things children can make and discuss.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) supplies the framework for early learning. Here, one concrete example is learning to communicate through exploration: in December 2023, adults used questions and conversational prompts in the garden to develop children’s speech and confidence. Outdoor exploration therefore has a purpose beyond time outside. It gives children something to talk about, with adults helping them find the words.
Catholic life also reaches the nursery through the chaplaincy team, which has shared Christmas cribs made by its members with nursery children. Faith appears through objects and activities as well as the Caritas themes.
Language needs can be considered early. Wellcomm/NELI language screening forms part of identifying additional needs when children enter Nursery. For families concerned about communication, this provides a starting point for discussing support with the class team and Inclusion Lead.
The trust’s SEND arrangements use One Page Profiles to describe classroom adaptations and One Plans for more specific learning targets. Families contribute to planning, and progress reviews take place three times a year, at each term’s end. Medical needs are addressed through care plans developed with parents and staff; a member of staff in the early years classroom has paediatric first aid training.
Complex needs. The trust describes its mainstream provision as serving children with moderate SEND, while saying it cannot cater for complex or extreme needs. Families should weigh that stated limit alongside their child’s individual support requirements.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. A separate application must go to the family’s home local authority through the normal admission process. For the 2026–2027 admissions cycle, nursery attendance confers no priority within the oversubscription criteria. Familiarity with the school must therefore be kept separate from entitlement to a place.
For children with SEND, the trust’s transition arrangements include visits involving parents and children, information handovers and transition booklets. These support continuity of care; they do not alter the admissions process.
Morning sessions run from 8.45 to 11.45, with afternoons from 12.15 to 15.15. Booking usually follows a pattern of all mornings, all afternoons or full days. Flexible places may be offered after other places have been allocated and are reviewed termly, so flexibility is conditional.
The full-day option is labelled for 30 hours of funded childcare, subject to entitlement. Funded places carry a daily lunchtime supervision charge, and a paid extension to a half day is also offered. Contact the school for current charges.
Nursery enquiries go through the school office on 01279 423499 or adminstlukes@ourladyoffatimatrust.essex.sch.uk.
Morning sessions are 8.45–11.45 and afternoon sessions are 12.15–15.15. Full-day places and a paid half-day extension are also offered.
Flexible places may be offered once other places have been allocated. These arrangements are reviewed termly.
There is a full-day option labelled for 30 hours of funded childcare, subject to entitlement. A daily lunchtime supervision charge applies to funded places.
No. Families must apply separately through their home local authority. Nursery attendance gives no oversubscription priority for the 2026–2027 cycle.
Contact the Inclusion Lead through the school office. The trust uses One Page Profiles and One Plans, with family involvement in planning and review.
