Laycock Primary School Nursery Review

A separate nursery block and a teacher-led team give Laycock’s youngest children their own base within the primary school. This term-time provision takes three- and four-year-olds from the term following their third birthday. For 2026/27, its planned capacity is 26 full-time equivalent places, a measure of provision rather than a headcount of children attending different patterns.

A qualified teacher leads the nursery, supported by Early Years Educators and an Early Years Coordinator. The early years provision received a Good judgement at Ofsted’s June 2024 inspection. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Attendance follows either a full week or one of two part-time patterns, so children join a recurring sequence of days. The nursery occupies a single-storey building separate from the main school block. Across the site, playgrounds are level and step free, a practical physical feature for children with mobility needs.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) includes early reading: in June 2024, children followed a phonics programme judged effective. The early years learning space was well supplied with resources and welcoming at that inspection.

Concrete nursery examples include making a cardboard town and creating a sculpture together, both shared in June and July 2023. These illustrate opportunities to construct things and work with other children; they are dated examples rather than a current timetable.

Learning support. In June 2024, activities did not consistently target the particular knowledge and skills children needed to develop. Some children consequently lacked preparation for the next stage of learning. For parents, how staff identify a child’s next learning steps is a useful focus when discussing progress.

Settling begins before regular attendance. The Meet and Greet Event introduces families to the early years team. For the main autumn intake, a summer Teddy Bears’ Picnic gives children time in their future classroom with their teacher and classmates. Parents have a separate welcome session and can taste school meals. Children entering in spring or summer have a taster session with the existing class instead.

Starts are staggered, with a small number joining on each day. The class teacher agrees an individual settling plan with parents, allowing routines to be introduced gradually. The nursery also describes a two-week settling period. Personal care is supported: staff help with toileting, and children are not excluded because they need that help.

For additional needs, the school’s SEND arrangements involve families in planning support. The Islington Social Communication and Early Years Team provides an assessment route for under-fives where concerns about autistic spectrum conditions arise. Laycock’s deaf provision uses speaking and listening as its main communication approach, with individual communication needs accommodated. Discussing those needs before starting helps shape the support plan.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through their home local authority; Islington residents apply through Islington Council. Keep that application separate from nursery enrolment. For the September 2026 intake, the on-time deadline was 15 January 2026, a past admissions cycle.

Preparation for the change is a different matter. During the summer term, nursery children meet Reception staff and become familiar with their new classrooms. Participation in assemblies and school initiatives also forms part of this transition programme. These experiences introduce the next setting; they do not secure admission.

The full-time pattern runs Monday to Friday, 8:45am to 3:15pm. Part-time Early Week attendance covers Monday and Tuesday at those hours, then Wednesday from 8:45am to 11:45am. The other part-time pattern begins on Wednesday at 12:15pm, finishes at 3:15pm, and includes full days on Thursday and Friday. All patterns operate during school terms.

The 15-hour funded entitlement applies from the term after a child turns three. Eligible working families can apply for an additional 15 funded hours. Families without that additional entitlement may qualify to pay for extra hours under Islington’s charging policy; contact the admissions team for current charges.

Nursery enquiries and tour bookings go through admissions@laycock.islington.sch.uk or 020 7226 2927. Parents take nursery children to the classroom door and collect them from their classroom, keeping handover close to the nursery team.