Nursery at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Isleworth

Exploration, play and a Catholic identity shape the nursery at St Mary's. Its morning provision takes 26 children, and the nursery belongs to the school's Foundation Stage. For families choosing a school nursery, the distinctive combination here is learning shaped around individual interests alongside an explicitly religious approach to children's development.

The emphasis is on getting to know the child. Staff use children's preferences, abilities and areas of difficulty to adapt their learning, rather than treating the group as having identical needs. That makes the relationship between home and the early years team part of the educational approach.

Play is the starting point for learning. Exploration gives children opportunities to follow an interest and tackle something unfamiliar; the early years team also supports confidence and a willingness to try new challenges. The intended progression is from curiosity towards greater independence.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the framework for this stage of learning. Here, the nursery's emphasis is on exploration tailored to children, while the school identifies a middle leader with responsibility for EYFS. This places early learning within a defined curriculum leadership structure.

Concrete examples bring that learning into focus. At the June 2022 inspection, early years children were using maps to explore their neighbourhood, placing local services such as leisure centres and hospitals on them. This connects an early geographical skill with places children can recognise. Sound practice also extended across the early years day, giving children repeated opportunities to use their phonics learning.

There was a caution alongside that reading work: some younger pupils occasionally received reading material beyond their ability, making fluency harder to develop. This was a finding about younger pupils, rather than a nursery-only judgement.

Faith has specific content, too. Early years prayer includes Glory Be, the Lord's Prayer and Hail Mary. Families should expect Catholic teaching to be part of the learning experience.

Individual knowledge of children guides the nursery team's approach, including their interests and the things they find difficult. The aim is to adapt learning through that understanding and through relationships with families.

Across the school, SEND support covers emotional, sensory, physical, behavioural and learning needs. The school's approach includes identifying needs and working with parents. For a nursery family, this provides a starting point for discussing how a child's particular needs fit into their learning.

Meals include nursery children within the school's menu provision: the April to October 2026 menu covers Nursery through Year 6. Parent Communication Guidelines and termly class newsletters provide routes for understanding school communication and what children are learning.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process.

For the September 2026 intake, applicants had to apply online through their home local authority and return a Supplementary Information Form to the school. Both had a deadline of 15 January 2026. That admissions cycle is past; those dates should not be treated as the deadline for a later intake.

Alongside the morning nursery, St Mary's offers 30-hour provision, with enquiries directed to the school office. Families can contact the office on 020 8560 7166 or at office@smi.hounslow.sch.uk. Visits can also be arranged through the office, offering a practical way to discuss joining the nursery.