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Nursery at Robert Owen Nursery School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Real tools, a mud kitchen and stories acted out by children give Robert Owen its character. Play supplies the starting point; adults build learning around it. This maintained nursery school in Greenwich serves children aged two to four, with three mixed-age classes rather than provision inside a primary school.
Each class has a qualified teacher supported by Early Years Practitioners and Assistants. Robert Owen and Meridian Primary School share a governing body and executive leadership through their federation. The nursery classrooms occupy the ground floor, with an accessible outdoor area alongside them.
Children choose between classroom play and the garden, which opens shortly after the session begins. Adults also organise activities in response to children's interests and observations of their development. A snack comes midway through the session; tidying and stories bring it towards its close. This gives children room to make choices within a recognisable routine.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) connects learning with care and development. Here, language, movement and emotional development sit alongside early reading, mathematics, creativity and understanding the world. Counting fruit at snack time turns an ordinary routine into practical mathematics. Children also cook with garden produce and explore seasonal changes.
Inside, book corners, construction resources and woodwork benches support different kinds of play. Younger children have their own bases within the mixed-age classrooms, including smaller chairs, accessible storage and quieter spaces. Outside, the mud kitchen, supervised pond and woodland walk give exploration a different scale.
Chatterbox invites children to bring objects from home and discuss them in small groups. Story-telling, Story-acting turns their own narratives into classroom drama. Library visits offer a book to share at home, while woodwork introduces real tools with adult support. For three- and four-year-olds, the curriculum schedules a weekly half-day at Forest School, excluding the first half-term while children settle.
In July 2023, Ofsted found that purposeful number activities developed children's mathematical confidence and that staff identified SEND promptly, working closely with families and professionals. Staff recruitment had presented challenges at that time, but provision remained consistently high.
Settling begins at home. Every child is offered a home visit, followed by an initial nursery session of roughly an hour with their parent staying. Separation develops at the child's pace, with staff and parents agreeing how long the parent remains. Families should allow time for this gradual start.
A key person helps build familiarity and discusses settling and next steps with parents during the first term. Tapestry provides a shared record of learning, with parents able to contribute observations from home. Teachers and key people can also speak with families at collection or drop-off.
Snacks include toast, fruit, water and milk, sometimes supplemented by children's cooking or garden vegetables. Full-day children eat lunch together in their classrooms, with food served family style. Lunch carries a charge unless the child qualifies for free school meals; breakfast and tea can be purchased subject to space.
SEND support can include Small Talk, Intensive Interaction and Sensory Circuits, with individual learning plans reviewed with parents at least termly. A sensory room offers another setting for support or quiet time. Ofsted judged safeguarding effective in July 2023, with trained staff reporting concerns routinely.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Treat choosing this nursery and applying for primary school as separate decisions, including when considering Meridian Primary School.
The core nursery operates during term time across 39 weeks. Morning sessions run from 8:40am to 11:40am, afternoons from 12:30pm to 3:30pm, and the full-day pattern from 9:15am to 3:15pm. The application form also offers split-week patterns spanning Monday to Wednesday or Wednesday to Friday. Other patterns are exceptional rather than the usual booking model.
All three- and four-year-olds qualify for 15 funded hours; eligible children can access 30. Two-year-old funding depends on eligibility. Additional hours incur charges: ask the school for current charges. Holiday Club runs separately with The Holly Tree Club outside term time.
Parents collect directly from the classrooms after stories. Parking. The school car park is reserved for families with blue badges, so other families should plan their journey accordingly. Enquiries go to info@robertowen.greenwich.sch.uk or 020 8858 0529; prospective parents can book a tour through the online form or by telephone.
Children aged two to four attend in three mixed-age classes, each led by a qualified teacher.
Every child is offered a home visit. The first nursery session lasts roughly an hour with a parent present, and separation is agreed gradually with staff.
Yes. Children can choose garden play daily, including in wet weather. The garden includes a mud kitchen, woodland walk and pond with supervised access.
Lunch is for full-day children and is charged unless they qualify for free school meals. Breakfast and tea are additional purchases, subject to availability.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee Reception admission. Families must apply separately through the normal Reception admissions process by the applicable deadline.
