Strathmore Infant and Nursery School Nursery Review

Climbing equipment outdoors and Little Wandle Foundations for Phonics give Strathmore’s nursery a combination of physical exploration and early language learning. This is the school’s own nursery in Hitchin, with 38 places for children aged 3 to 4. Children normally join in the autumn of the academic year in which they turn four.

The nursery belongs within the infant school rather than operating as a separate setting. Morning attendance and a longer day are both offered, with funded sessions and paid lunch and wraparound arrangements serving different family schedules.

Learning combines activities guided by adults with play chosen by children. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) includes expressive art and physical development: here, that means experimenting with materials and equipment alongside movement, balance and self-care. Cornerstones topics support the early years art curriculum, while children discuss their creations and how they made them. There is room for their own ideas.

Little Wandle Foundations for Phonics is the nursery’s named early reading programme. Nursery rhymes feature in the support for foundation phonics, giving families a connection between language activities at school and home. In June 2023, Ofsted found that phonics teaching beginning in Nursery was effective and that the early years curriculum helped children learn successfully.

Physical activity happens indoors and outside, through both independent exploration and adult guidance. Loose parts, climbing apparatus and small PE equipment give children different ways to practise movement and challenge themselves. Early years children have one scheduled PE session; during their Forest School term, that weekly outdoor session counts towards PE. These arrangements put movement into both organised learning and everyday play.

Settling starts before the first session. Children are invited to visit, and nursery families receive a home visit so they can discuss concerns or existing special educational needs privately. Staff also exchange information with previous settings, allowing additional transition arrangements where needed.

Parents can speak with the class teacher or SEND coordinator about concerns. Additional support may involve individual work, targeted activities or a small group. Assess, Plan, Do, Review plans set personal targets and are reviewed with families each term. Learning Fairs, workshops and informal conversations give parents further ways to stay involved.

Physical spaces support different needs across the school: the Rainforest Room addresses gross motor development, while the Jungle Room provides a smaller, quieter space. Classroom regulation stations help children recognise and discuss their feelings. These are practical parts of the school’s support arrangements, rather than promises of identical provision for each child.

Lunch can be brought from home, with a hot meal available as a charged option. Lunch sessions are free for children receiving Pupil Premium. The school excludes nuts from packed lunches, and families needing a special diet can use Herts Catering Ltd’s special-diet route.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Parents must make a separate application through Hertfordshire County Council. For entry in September 2026, the application deadline was 15 January 2026; that cycle has passed.

Familiarity with the school and admission entitlement are separate matters. Transition preparation includes summer visits to the next classroom and teacher. Children who find changes difficult can use transition booklets and toys, with extra visits arranged when needed. That gives them opportunities to become familiar with their next environment while families complete the separate admissions process.

Morning sessions run from 08:45 to 11:45, and afternoons from 12:15 to 15:15. The all-day option spans 08:45 to 15:15, with paid lunch in addition to funded provision. Mornings fall within either 15 or 30 funded hours; afternoons fall within 30 hours and are primarily for full-time children. Extra afternoons depend on spare places. The limited 30-hour places require eligibility, which must be checked again nearer admission.

Optional breakfast provision begins at 07:45, and after-school care has collection options at 17:15 or 17:45. Lunch and wraparound carry charges; contact the school for current charges. Children leave with a parent or an authorised adult aged at least 18, and families delayed at collection should telephone.

Nursery tours take place in spring, with booking through Ticket Lab. Visits can also be arranged by calling the school office on 01462 459558. General enquiries can be made through the online enquiry form or by emailing admin@strathmore.herts.sch.uk.