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Nursery at Lime Walk Primary School
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
An open-plan nursery with its own entrance gives Lime Walk’s youngest children a smaller base within the school, while allowing them to learn and play alongside Reception children. That combination defines the provision: a distinct nursery identity, with shared early years experiences.
Based in Bennetts End, Hemel Hempstead, the nursery accommodates a maximum of 24 children. Entry can be considered in the term after a child turns three, at the school’s discretion and subject to places. The nursery belongs to the school’s Foundation Stage unit.
Structured play, called Active Learning here, mixes activities for individual children with group work and whole-class sessions. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together language, physical skills and emotional development with early literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. In parent terms, talking, moving, making and playing are part of learning, rather than breaks from it.
Construction has tangible resources. Indoors, children use kits to experiment with joining and balancing; the make-and-do area adds materials and tools. Outdoors, crates, planks, tubes and drain pipes give children larger building challenges to tackle together. These are opportunities to test an idea, change it and try again. Regular outdoor access also allows exploration and physical activity.
Songs, rhymes and stories recur through the day. Role-play and small-world equipment support imaginative play, while adults introduce vocabulary and use children’s interests to prompt questions. Visual resources and Makaton signs provide additional ways to support communication.
Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 7 and 8 February 2023. Children were settled and involved in learning, but some play tasks, especially those children selected themselves, did not sufficiently practise the intended knowledge. That distinction matters: engaging resources need a clear learning purpose too.
Before starting, children can visit with their parents, spend time in their new surroundings and meet the class team and other children. This gives families a practical introduction before the first session. Full-time support is provided in the Foundation Stage.
Communication continues through Tapestry, the online learning journal. Staff share photographs, videos and examples of work; parents can contribute learning from home. Classroom invitations offer another opportunity to discuss progress. For children needing additional support, the SENCO works with families and staff, with speech therapists, educational psychologists or the Communication and Autism Team involved where necessary. An SEN Support Plan may set individual targets.
Food arrangements offer a choice between a packed lunch and a charged hot school meal for children using the nursery lunch club. Menus can be adapted for dietary requirements, and packed lunches must exclude nut products. Foundation Stage children receive a free piece of fruit each day; EYFS children are also offered milk as part of their snack.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal admissions process, using Hertfordshire’s Admissions team and meeting the deadline for their application year. Nursery attendance itself gives no priority under the 2026/2027 Reception criteria.
Day-to-day familiarity is a separate benefit. The open-plan arrangement lets nursery and Reception children play and learn together, providing contact with the next stage before a move. Treat that shared experience as preparation, rather than an admissions advantage.
The nursery morning runs from 08:45 to 11:45, with an option to extend provision to 30 hours. All nursery children have a 15-hour funded place; families meeting the additional eligibility criteria may receive 30 funded hours after applying through gov.uk. They must also complete the school’s full-time application form and submit their eligibility code and child’s date of birth by the stipulated deadline. A full-time place cannot be guaranteed for late applications. Codes must be renewed every three months. A paid extension from 15 to 30 hours is possible if capacity allows, with advance payment requested to book it. Ask the school for current charges, including lunchtime supervision and meals.
Drop-off and collection take place at the nursery class door, where staff can speak with parents. Collection must be by an authorised adult. Uniform includes a logo sweatshirt or cardigan, a white polo shirt and grey or black bottoms; Mapac supplies the uniform. Parents cannot park on the school grounds.
For nursery enquiries or to arrange a visit, contact the office on 01442 262341 or email admin@limewalk.herts.sch.uk. Nursery applications go directly to the school.
The school can consider admission in the term following a child’s third birthday, at its discretion and subject to places.
The nursery morning runs from 08:45 to 11:45, with an option for 30-hour provision.
Yes. The nursery lunch club allows children to bring a packed lunch or have a charged hot school meal. Nut products must be excluded from packed lunches.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee admission or give priority under the 2026/2027 Reception criteria. A separate application is required through the normal admissions process.
Staff use Tapestry to share photographs, videos and work samples. Parents can add learning from home and are invited to discuss children’s work in the classroom.
