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Nursery at The Avenue Pre-Preparatory School and Nursery
Last reviewed: September 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Small-group learning starts early at The Avenue. Pre-Nursery takes children in the term they turn three, beginning with about 10 children in autumn and growing to about 16 in spring. Main Nursery, for children who were three by 31 August, can accommodate up to 30. Both sit within the independent pre-preparatory school at 2 Highgate Avenue.
The setting combines the scale of a small class with a full school day. ISI recorded 54 children across the school's Early Years Foundation Stage in June 2023 and noted that additional nursery accommodation had enabled full-day attendance.
Structured play is the starting point in Pre-Nursery, with fine and gross motor skills, speaking, listening, independence and social awareness built into activities. Main Nursery adds regular small-group literacy and practical numeracy. Children use Letterland characters and interactive-whiteboard activities for letters and sounds, while Numicon introduces number values. The point is steady familiarity, not a rush into formal schoolwork.
The nursery is guided by the Early Years Foundation Stage, which connects communication, physical and personal development with literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts. The school also holds an exemption from the EYFS learning and development requirements for children aged three and over; the safeguarding and welfare requirements continue to apply.
Music gives the week a distinctive thread. The Kodály singing method begins in Pre-Nursery, with instructions and registration sometimes sung so that listening, pitch and imitation become part of daily routines. Main Nursery also lists singing, drama, music, football, PE and cooking among classes provided by visiting specialist staff.
Every child is allocated a key person at the start of the year. That practitioner helps with settling, observes development, keeps records and shares concerns or significant information with parents. Settling is handled individually rather than to a fixed timetable, which should help families whose child needs a slower start.
A secure online journal provides a two-way record of photographs, work and weekly progress. Parents can contribute, attend termly consultations and download the journal at year end; Main Nursery also issues a formal annual report. Four full-time and two part-time qualified staff work in Main Nursery, according to the current nursery page.
The June 2023 ISI inspection found weaknesses in the school's strategic risk assessment and required improvements to its policy and risk-control detail. A follow-up visit in February 2024 found those previously unmet standards were now met, including the related EYFS requirements. That sequence matters more than quoting a whole-school label as though it were a nursery grade.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must engage with the school's separate Reception admissions process and respond to any offer by its stated deadline. The school says it sends all current Nursery children a Reception offer in January, with acceptance and an additional deposit required, but parents should confirm the current arrangements directly for their cohort.
For children applying from elsewhere, Reception involves a January visit, a reference from the current setting and offers usually made in early February. Familiar surroundings may ease a child's transition, but they are not a substitute for completing the admissions steps.
Pre-Nursery and Main Nursery run from 8.30am to 3pm Monday to Thursday and finish at midday on Friday. The provision is term-time. The school says it does not participate in the Early Years Funding Scheme, so families should ask the admissions team about current charges and exactly what is included. Meals and snacks are excluded from the published term fee; current food arrangements should therefore be checked before accepting a place.
Applications use the school's online form, and registration places a child on a waiting list rather than confirming admission. The September 2026 nursery intake is shown as full, with families directed to admissions about occasional places. Tours take place on Tuesday mornings during term time.
Pre-Nursery admits children in the term they turn three. Main Nursery is for children who have turned three by 31 August.
Both nursery stages run from 8.30am to 3pm Monday to Thursday and until midday on Friday during term time.
Each child receives a key person, and the school says settling time is handled individually and sensitively rather than following one fixed timetable.
Structured play develops communication, physical, social and independence skills. Main Nursery adds Letterland phonics, practical Numicon work and specialist sessions including singing, drama and cooking.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee Reception admission. The school describes a January offer process for current Nursery children, and families must complete the separate steps and confirm the current terms for their cohort.
