Northwold Primary School Nursery Review

Rhymes, woodland learning and a weekly Spanish lesson give Northwold’s nursery a distinct character. Elm is the nursery class within Northwold Primary School in Hackney, with provision for two-year-olds alongside the nursery. The nursery capacity is 50 full-time-equivalent places: that describes provision capacity, rather than the number of children in a particular session.

The wider school occupies a listed Victorian building with four storeys. This is a school nursery, with its learning forming part of the school’s early years provision. Ofsted graded early years Outstanding following the inspection on 10 and 11 December 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Play and exploration shape the learning approach. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together learning to communicate, developing physical skills and managing feelings and relationships, alongside early literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. For parents, this means children’s learning extends beyond early reading and counting to how they express themselves and work with others.

Children are encouraged to explore ideas, persist with activities and choose ways to tackle a task. Spanish is taught once a week, while phonics starts in Nursery with daily teaching. In December 2024, early years children developed their vocabulary and awareness of sounds through songs and rhymes. Curiosity also had a practical purpose: children worked together on problems, giving them opportunities to think and share ideas.

Forest School forms part of the early years curriculum, using woodland settings at Abney Park and Springfield Park. Activities can include making shelters, looking for minibeasts and woodland crafts. Children’s interests guide the sessions, and the school aims to develop independence and teamwork through these experiences. The outdoor setting gives exploration a different scale from classroom learning.

Settling into routines was a positive feature in December 2024: children starting Nursery became accustomed to them quickly. The staffing structure includes an Elm nursery teacher and early years teaching and learning support assistants.

Daily observations capture children’s learning, with significant achievements added to a Learning Journey Folder. Parents can contribute their own observations and comments, connecting what a child does at home with their nursery learning. For inclusion, the school says it makes reasonable adjustments to support participation and equality.

Food arrangements follow the school’s approach to healthy eating. School meals are halal, pork is excluded and vegetarian choices are always offered. Water and milk are the drinks provided, except at end-of-term class parties. These arrangements matter for families balancing dietary preferences and religious requirements.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal Reception process and meet the deadline for their entry year. The application route is through Hackney’s website.

For September 2026 entry, families had to apply before 15 January 2026, including those seeking a delayed or deferred start. That deadline has passed. Choosing Elm should therefore be a decision about the nursery experience itself, with Reception treated as a separate application.

Nursery places may be full time or arranged as morning and afternoon part-time sessions. Arrangements can vary, so these patterns should not be read as an unrestricted choice of attendance hours.

For enquiries, contact the school office on 020 8806 6352 or email office@northwold.hackney.sch.uk. School visits can be booked by telephone or email, giving families a way to see the setting before deciding whether to apply.