Bowes Primary School Nursery Review

An underwater exploration through virtual reality headsets gives Bowes nursery a distinctive starting point: technology has a place even in its youngest children's learning. Alongside that example sit the everyday foundations of nursery life, including learning routines and treating other people kindly. Both matter when choosing a child's first experience of school.

The nursery belongs to Bowes Primary School on Bowes Road in New Southgate. Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Outstanding at its inspection on 14 and 15 January 2025. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery inspection outcome.

Morning nursery runs from 8:30am to 11:30am, with the afternoon session from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. For full-time children, lunch occupies the intervening hour. This gives parents two clear session boundaries and a lunch break for children attending across the day.

Learning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): children practise listening and speaking, explore plants, animals and their surroundings, and express ideas through stories, role play, music and art. Development Matters is used to assess children's progress against expectations for their stage of development. In practical terms, adults track how a child is developing rather than looking only at completed activities. During January 2025, early years resources and adult interactions were chosen purposefully to prepare children for later learning.

The virtual reality headsets were used in Nursery to explore life beneath the sea. It is a concrete example of bringing a subject into children's experience through technology. In January 2025, children across early years sustained their attention and worked together successfully, making concentration and cooperation part of the learning picture too.

Kindness and routines are taught from Nursery onwards. In January 2025, children were learning to respect others as well as how to follow routines. These are practical foundations for sharing a classroom, not simply expectations that children must work out for themselves.

Parents can see and comment on learning evidence through Tapestry. That creates a route for families to engage with their child's progress beyond conversations at collection. For questions about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the school's Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator can be contacted through the school office email, office@bowesprimaryelt.org.

Attending Bowes nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families need to make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as two distinct decisions.

For September 2027 entry, the Reception route is the online admission system, with Enfield's application guidance supporting the process. The on-time deadline is 15th January 2027; applications after that date are late. Put that deadline in the diary independently of any nursery application.

For September 2027, Bowes will offer 15-hour nursery places and 30-hour places for eligible families. The balance between part-time and full-time places will respond to local demand. Families applying should specify their preferred hours in the Reasons for Preference part of the application.

Nursery applications for that intake open from mid-October 2026 onwards, with a deadline of 15th February 2027. Nursery tours are held separately from the general new-parent school tours, giving families a nursery-specific visit route. Contact the school office on 020 8368 2552 or office@bowesprimary.org for enquiries.