St Luke's CofE Primary School Nursery

Imaginary Worlds, Food and Festivals, and About Town give nursery learning at St Luke’s a recognisable character: topics connect children’s interests with the world around them. The nursery belongs to St Luke's CofE Primary School on Radnor Street in Clerkenwell, within its early years provision. Its Church of England identity sits alongside an invitation to families with other beliefs or no religious faith.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together learning to communicate, move and manage feelings with early literacy, mathematics, creativity and understanding the world. These areas connect rather than operate as separate subjects. For parents, that means children’s social development and language matter alongside their first steps in reading and number work.

Two alternating topic cycles provide the organising framework. Into the Woods, All About Me and In the Garden form one cycle; the other explores Food and Festivals, Imaginary Worlds and About Town. Activities are planned each week, with the whole team contributing. Observations help staff adapt learning to children’s interests and stages of development, so the topic provides direction while individual next steps shape the activities.

Language development has specific inspection support. At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that nursery staff developed children’s speaking and communication effectively; early years children also responded well to instructions and developed an understanding of numbers. These are useful foundations for joining conversations, taking part in group routines and beginning mathematical learning.

Parents receive a topic plan each half term and can contribute suggestions. This gives families a concrete connection with classroom learning, rather than leaving them to guess what interests their child is exploring.

The school’s 2019/20 early years curriculum statement described a key person approach informed by attachment theory, alongside play and attention to children’s individual interests. Its purpose was to help children settle emotionally before expecting them to engage in learning.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the school’s approach includes extra resources, adapted ways of teaching and, where necessary, an individual curriculum. External advice can come from outreach teams at The Bridge, Samuel Rhodes and New River College. Parents are involved in supporting learning at home. Nursery lunch is scheduled for noon, providing a fixed point in the day.

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 child’s entry year. The school directs parents to an online Reception application and links to Islington’s school admissions service. Treat this as a separate decision and application, even if your child already attends nursery.

The nursery day finishes at 3:30pm. That is a concrete collection time to build into family arrangements.

School tours take place on Wednesdays at 9:15am and are led by the headteacher. Book through admin@st-lukes.islington.sch.uk or call 020 7253 3880, giving your preferred date and explaining that your interest is in nursery. A tour provides a direct introduction to the school before applying.