Hammond Academy Nursery Review

The Tree House Trail gives Hammond Academy’s nursery a concrete outdoor focus, alongside learning through play in school surroundings. This is the school’s own nursery on Cambrian Way in Hemel Hempstead, with a nursery admissions number of 30. Children aged 3+ can join during the school year when places are available.

Morning attendance and longer days give families different ways to organise the week. Both run in term time. Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 20 and 21 June 2023; this is an early years judgement within the school inspection.

Play shapes the learning here. The large outdoor learning space includes the Tree House Trail, giving parents a specific feature to consider alongside the choice between a morning session and a day extending into the afternoon. A morning finishes before lunch; the longer pattern includes the lunchtime period.

In June 2023, early years children learnt through several kinds of activity, investigated their environment and helped one another as they worked together. Their involvement supported progress. For parents, that gives a useful picture of learning through exploration and cooperation, rather than simply a timetable of lessons.

At the June 2023 inspection, children were given classroom jobs from the early years, introducing responsibility through practical tasks. A separate, school-wide concern in June 2023 was that some subjects needed clearer sequencing of knowledge and skills. That finding should be kept distinct from the positive observations about early years activities.

The nursery team has experience teaching early years children and supporting individual needs. For children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the school uses a cycle of assessment, planning, action and review. This gives families a process through which support can be reconsidered as needs change.

Parents are included in SEND discussions, with agreed support and actions shared with families. The school’s SEND commitments include meetings at least three times each year. Communication deserves attention: in June 2023, school leaders needed to explain changes and their benefits more effectively to parents. This was a school-wide concern.

School dinners carry an additional charge for the 30-hour pattern. Families using longer attendance therefore need to account for meals alongside any extra childcare hours.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal school admissions process, administered by Hertfordshire County Council, by the deadline for their intake.

For 2027/28, nursery attendance gives no Reception admissions priority. The criteria cover care status, medical or social need, siblings, qualifying staff children, nearest school and distance. Familiarity with school surroundings is part of the nursery’s preparation for the next stage, but it does not change how places are allocated.

Monday to Friday mornings run from 8:45am to 11:45am, providing 15 hours each week. The 30-hour option runs from 8:45am to 2:45pm, subject to funding eligibility, with lunch self-funded. An extended nursery day finishes at 3:15pm.

Additional hours are self-funded. Nursery wraparound runs from 7:45am to 8:45am and from 2:45pm to 6pm, so families can extend care beyond the nursery session. Ask the school for current charges when choosing a pattern.

Flexible drop-off and collection are offered. Nursery tours can be booked online to meet the team and see the facilities, and nursery applications use an online form. Enquiries can also go to the school office on 01442 404020.