Rotherfield Primary School Nursery

Teachers and early years practitioners work together in Rotherfield’s nursery for three-year-olds, giving this provision a school-based team structure from the start. It belongs to Rotherfield Primary School on Rotherfield Street in Islington. The federation’s nursery team includes qualified teachers, early years practitioners and leaders, bringing teaching and care roles together rather than treating them as separate parts of a child’s experience.

For parents choosing an early introduction to school life, the emphasis is on learning alongside familiar routines. In April 2023, children across the early years became accustomed to those routines quickly. That is a useful starting point for families considering their child’s first experience of group education.

Letters, sounds and numbers feature in both adult-led learning and time when children work independently. In April 2023, early-years resources supported access to these activities for all children. The practical distinction matters: early learning happened through more than scheduled teaching alone. Children also had opportunities to develop the same knowledge during independent activity.

Outdoor space served a learning purpose too. In April 2023, it supported early-years mathematics, writing and reading effectively, extending these activities beyond the classroom. For a parent, this gives a concrete picture of the balance: directed sessions, independent activity and learning outside. The emphasis is on building early literacy and number knowledge across different parts of the day, rather than confining them to a single lesson.

Settling into routines is part of the early-years experience. The April 2023 finding that children settled quickly gives parents a dated indication of how they adjusted to the teachers’ routines, rather than a promise about how every new child will respond.

Within the wider school team, an assistant headteacher has responsibility for EYFS, while another assistant headteacher holds the SENCO and designated safeguarding lead roles. These are distinct responsibilities covering early education, special educational needs and safeguarding. Families can use the school office as their contact point when raising a concern or discussing support.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the deadline for their intake. Treat the nursery choice and the later school application as two separate decisions.

For the September 2024 Reception intake, applications went through Islington Council. Rotherfield is maintained by the local authority and follows Islington’s admission arrangements. A nursery place should therefore never be treated as confirmation of a later Reception allocation.

To apply for the nursery, complete Rotherfield’s Nursery Admission Form. Nursery enquiries go directly to admin@rotherfieldprimary.co.uk; the school’s telephone number is 020 7226 6620. This gives families a direct contact route for the application itself.

The school address is Rotherfield Street, Islington, London, N1 3EE. Keep the nursery application separate from any later Reception paperwork: securing the first place does not complete the second process.