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Nursery at Duncombe Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Storytelling, percussion and space to choose: Duncombe’s nursery combines adult-led activities with time for children to follow their own interests. Provision covers two-year-olds and children aged three and four at the school on Sussex Way, Islington. A separate, single-storey nursery building gives the youngest children their own part of the site.
Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good at its February 2023 inspection. The early years findings highlighted opportunities for movement alongside work on communication, language and early mathematical understanding. These findings place physical development, communication and early mathematical understanding among the early years priorities.
Choice runs through the day. Resources are arranged so children can select activities independently, while adults also teach through individual work, small groups and whole-class sessions. Learning extends from classrooms into purpose-built outdoor spaces designed for open-ended exploration. That gives children opportunities to pursue an interest rather than complete only an adult’s chosen task.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the curriculum framework. In practical terms, Duncombe combines developing language and physical skills with early literacy and number learning. Talk4Writing supplies a named storytelling approach: focus texts give children stories to explore and retell. Nursery staff update assessments of children’s prime areas of development weekly, using their progress to plan the next steps.
Music has a definite place. Children receive at least one music lesson each week from Nursery onwards, and the early years music curriculum includes songs, chants and experimenting with instruments, including the djembe. Children can explore sound through both their voices and percussion.
For maths, early years teaching pairs focused instruction with guided activities and independent play. Children therefore have opportunities to use a mathematical idea after an adult introduces it. Physical learning also involves practising control of movement and handling equipment, with challenges planned for children aged three to five.
Emotional routines are part of the early years approach. Zones of Regulation is introduced through stories, while Now/Next prompts and visual timetables help children understand what follows an activity. The early years family sessions also discuss making everyday tasks active and manageable, including dressing and changes between activities. These offer parents practical ways to reinforce routines at home.
SEND support includes an EYFS SENCO within the school’s team. For children receiving SEN support, the school uses home-school books for daily feedback and holds review meetings at least three times a year. Families contribute to decisions about support, giving them a regular opportunity to discuss what is working and what needs adjusting.
Accent provides the school’s lunches. Its food is halal, vegetarian choices are offered, and children can select from a daily salad bar. This gives families a concrete picture of the school’s lunch provision, separate from the nursery session arrangements.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process; Duncombe directs applicants to Islington’s admissions service. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for school as separate decisions.
For September 2026 entry, the application deadline was 15 January 2026. That deadline has passed. The school’s SEND policy also provides for sharing relevant information when children change education settings, so support planning remains separate from place allocation.
Both nursery age groups operate on weekdays in term time. Two-year-olds attend either 8:45am–11:45am or 12:45pm–3:45pm, and applications require a local-authority eligibility code.
For three- and four-year-olds, the 15-hour pattern covers two full days and a half day: Monday and Tuesday plus Wednesday morning, or Wednesday afternoon plus Thursday and Friday. Eligible working families can take the 30-hour pattern, attending Monday to Friday from 8:45am to 3:45pm. Both patterns start from the term after a child’s third birthday. The eligibility code for the longer pattern must be reconfirmed every three months; loss of eligibility reduces attendance to 15 hours a week.
Nursery applications are made at the main office. Tours need an advance booking: telephone 0207 272 5620 or email success@duncombeprimary.co.uk. This gives families a direct route to see the provision before applying.
There is provision for two-year-olds and for children aged three and four.
The term-time options are 8:45am–11:45am or 12:45pm–3:45pm, Monday to Friday. Applications require a local-authority eligibility code.
The 15-hour pattern is two full days and a half day. Eligible working families can attend Monday to Friday, 8:45am–3:45pm, under the 30-hour pattern. The code must be reconfirmed every three months.
No. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process. Duncombe directs families to Islington’s admissions service.
Contact the school office on 0207 272 5620 or success@duncombeprimary.co.uk to book a tour in advance.
