Tudor Primary School Nursery Review

A giant’s castle, a number hunt and houses for the three little pigs: Tudor Primary School’s nursery turns familiar stories and everyday discoveries into things children can make, count and explore. This is the school’s own nursery provision, with learning examples that connect imaginative play to practical skills.

The character comes through in the detail. Children have drawn castles to practise controlling a pen, searched for quantities around their classroom and retold stories through construction. These activities give parents a concrete picture of early learning: handling materials, talking about ideas and trying things for themselves.

Stories provide a starting point for several kinds of learning. With Jack and the Beanstalk, children practised drawing straight lines to build a picture of the giant’s castle. The Gingerbread Man led to baking in groups: following instructions, weighing ingredients, rolling dough and cutting shapes. Counting and pretend baking extended the same theme into play.

Mathematics also takes a physical form. In one number scavenger hunt, children searched the room for pictures showing two objects and ticked them off. The activity combined counting with recognising a small quantity without counting each item. Repeating-pattern activities gave children opportunities to explore examples and create patterns independently. There is room to try an idea themselves.

Indoor and outdoor spaces have both supported story-based construction. Children made homes for the three little pigs in the creation station, construction zone and small world area. A Sticky Fingers table brought mud and porridge into the story, while repeated retelling gave the play a language focus.

Other examples broaden the picture beyond books. An Airport role play area accompanied learning about transport, with children making planes and rockets from junk materials. Outdoor play for a group of new starters included a climbing frame, bikes, sand and water; indoors, children tried playdough, mark making and self-portraits. These examples show opportunities for movement as well as drawing and making.

A staged start has been used for a nursery cohort, with one group beginning before the remaining children joined the following week. The first group practised routines and became accustomed to separating from their adults. That arrangement gave children time to become familiar with nursery life in a smaller initial group.

Food has also been part of practical learning. During a healthy-living activity, children chopped fruit, watched it blend into a smoothie, counted their group and shared the drink between cups before having it as a snack. Preparing and sharing food brought health, handling skills and quantities together.

Families can contact the school’s Assistant Head for Inclusion by telephone or arrange an in-person conversation. The role covers additional learning needs, mental health difficulties, English as an additional language and medical needs, giving parents a contact for discussing barriers their child may face.

Attending Tudor’s nursery does not guarantee a place in the school’s Reception. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the normal deadline. Treat choosing a nursery place and applying for Reception as separate decisions.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school on 01442 256294 or email admin@tudor.herts.sch.uk. For inclusion support, families can also use inco@tudor.herts.sch.uk. This gives parents a general contact for joining and a separate route for discussing additional needs.