Marlborough Primary School Nursery Review

Clapping along to familiar songs and choosing where to play give Marlborough’s nursery its shape: adult teaching sits alongside time for children to explore independently. This is a 40-place, term-time nursery within Marlborough Primary School in Chelsea, principally for children aged three and four. Eligible rising threes can join during the term of their third birthday.

Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Outstanding at its inspection on 24 and 25 September 2024; that judgement includes the nursery rather than being a separate nursery rating. The nursery has a team comprising a class teacher, an Early Years Educator, a trainee Early Years Educator and a partner teacher.

The 2024–25 nursery handbook describes a balance between teaching in small groups and uninterrupted play. Children have an allocated key adult, with individual teaching also used. Carpet gatherings include maths, stories and an introduction to the day’s learning. Adult-led activities introduce skills or revisit those needing practice, while additional interventions offer focused help individually or in small groups.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) takes practical form here through language, maths, creative work and learning about the world. Children choose resources in the classroom and outdoor area during independent play; adults observe and extend their learning. Access to the outdoor area throughout the day gives exploration room beyond the classroom. Choosing activities also creates opportunities to talk, share and practise skills with other children.

Specialist sessions listed in the handbook include music, Spanish, gymnastics and art, alongside ballet, computing and PE. Music has a clear developmental purpose. In September 2024, nursery children practised joining familiar songs with movement and clapping, supporting their ability to wait, take turns and manage their responses. Books also shape the early years curriculum, with selected texts revisited across learning.

An allocated key adult gives each child a familiar member of staff involved in their learning. In September 2024, early years children received support with transitions and adopted routines demonstrated by older pupils. Teaching children to talk about feelings starts in early years, giving them language to explain their behaviour and emotions.

Tapestry connects home with nursery learning. The handbook describes photo and video observations plus a weekly newsletter outlining forthcoming learning and activities for home. It also specifies school lunches cooked on site, with a menu rotating over three weeks. Fruit and milk are offered during both morning and afternoon learning; families can supply plant-based milk for a child with a milk allergy or intolerance. Parents should notify the school of allergies.

For additional needs, the class teacher is the first contact, with the SEND team involved as needed. Support plans can set individual targets and are reviewed at least termly with families. The SEND policy allows the school to seek Special Educational Needs Interim Funding for nursery children where appropriate. Spare clothing stays in nursery, and families provide nappies or pull-ups and wipes if their child needs them.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The school’s published admissions criteria give no priority for nursery attendance: oversubscription priorities concern children in public care, exceptional medical or social needs, siblings and proximity to school.

Transition support is a separate matter. The current SEND information report allows for classroom visits and meeting new staff, with useful strategies passed to the new teacher. For children with an Education, Health and Care Plan, transition arrangements are considered through the annual review. Familiarity can help with the change, but does not alter admissions.

The nursery timetable runs from 8:55am to 3:25pm. Parents can accompany children from the Sloane Avenue main gate to their classroom, and collection is from classrooms. Full school uniform is expected; the handbook specifies black shoes with Velcro and a labelled bag of spare clothes.

Eligible families using the 30-hour offer allocate those hours to Marlborough for a five-day week totalling 32 hours 30 minutes, with additional charges. Families must supply a valid funding code by the end of the month before term begins and reconfirm eligibility every three months. Losing eligibility or failing to reconfirm in time changes the place to a fee-paying option. Full-time attendance using the 15-hour offer also involves charges. Rising threes eligible for the two-year-old offer can take a funded morning-only place during their first term; a paid full-time rising-three option begins once settled. Contact the school for current charges.

The school handles nursery applications directly. Its admissions page describes the nursery as full for the academic year and directs families to a waiting-list form. Nursery tours can be booked on 0207 589 8553.