Honilands Primary School Nursery

Buttercup, Poppy, Sunflower and Daffodil give Honilands’ youngest children their own class identities. Provision starts at two, with separate nursery groups for two-year-olds and for children aged three and four. This is the nursery within Honilands Primary School on Lovell Road in Enfield, rather than a separate childcare setting.

Age groups have distinct provision, while learning and support sit within the school’s wider arrangements. Honilands aims to help children become curious, independent and willing to try things. For parents, the concrete thread running through that ambition is attention to each child’s starting point, with home observations contributing alongside staff knowledge.

Language, movement and learning to manage feelings take precedence in the nursery’s assessment focus. These are the prime areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the framework for early learning and care. Literacy, maths, creative expression and discovering how the world works complete its seven learning areas. The emphasis is broader than preparation for reading: communicating needs and building relationships count too.

Development Matters guides assessment alongside the EYFS. Staff establish a starting point when children join, drawing on what parents and previous settings know as well as their own observations. Further assessments take place midway through the year and at its end. Day-to-day knowledge of children informs immediate support, extra challenges and planned next steps, so assessment connects to what a child needs next.

Play has a central role in the EYFS: children pursue their own ideas and also learn with adult guidance. Honilands aims to encourage exploration, sensible risk-taking and persistence. Core books provide another link between nursery learning and home, with stories and language shared through Tapestry for families to discuss together.

Before children start, information evenings give parents a chance to raise questions. Individual school visits explore interests, needs and the move into school. Stay and Play sessions and Parent Cafés give families further ways to participate, while consultations focus on progress and next steps. These arrangements make parent involvement practical rather than simply an aspiration.

Tapestry provides each child with an online learning journal containing photographs, staff observations and comments. Notifications alert parents to new entries; families can add their own observations too. That gives staff a picture of learning beyond the classroom and parents a way to contribute between meetings.

For additional needs, the school uses assessment, planning and review, with small-group support or specialist involvement according to the child’s needs. Parents can discuss concerns with the class teacher or SENCO. School-wide accessibility includes wheelchair access, accessible toilets and changing facilities. Medical support uses individual care plans, allowing health needs to be addressed alongside learning.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through www.eadmissions.org.uk by January 15th. Treat the school application as a separate decision from choosing nursery.

Transition support has a different purpose: helping children settle into their next class. For children due to join Reception, staff make a home visit where possible, and nursery reports are usually transferred to the school. Where appropriate, staff also visit the child’s nursery. These steps help adults understand the child’s needs; they do not secure admission.

Buttercup and Sunflower run from 8:30am to 11:30am. Poppy’s afternoon session runs from 12:30pm to 3:30pm, while Daffodil’s runs from 12:30pm to 3:15pm. The general nursery timetable also gives an afternoon finish of 3:30pm. These different afternoon end times matter when planning collection. Nursery and TWOs children are collected at classroom doors.

Eligible two-year-olds can receive 15 hours through Enfield’s Terrific Twos. A limited number of full-time, 30-hour nursery places are offered for eligible working parents, who register interest with the office. Lunch is timetabled from 11:30am to 12:30pm for children attending the 30-hour provision only.

Visits can be arranged through office@honilands.enfield.sch.uk or 01992 701 012. This gives families a direct route to see the nursery provision before choosing it.