Allen Edwards Primary School Nursery Review

Wellies, sound games and play chosen by children give Allen Edwards’ nursery its character. The provision sits within the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in Stockwell and accepts children from age three. There are up to 23 full-time places, alongside up to 34 morning and afternoon part-time places. Families can choose between a shorter session and a day matching the main school’s hours.

Ofsted graded early years provision Good at the inspection on 5 and 6 June 2024. This is an early-years judgement within the school inspection, rather than a separate nursery rating.

Play provides the starting point. Children choose some activities themselves, while adults lead others, giving them opportunities both to pursue an interest and to work with someone else. The EYFS brings together early reading and number work with movement, communication, relationships, creativity and exploration of the world. Learning to express a need or manage a feeling belongs alongside learning to count.

Sound comes before formal reading work. Nursery children explore noises around them, instruments, body percussion and rhyme before Read, Write Inc. is introduced in the spring term. That sequence gives listening and speaking a practical place in the day. Art, dance, music and role play provide further ways to communicate ideas. Small-group sessions with PE coaches concentrate on basic movement skills.

Outdoor learning is part of the nursery curriculum, with weekly Forest School opportunities across early years. Waterproof coats and wellies are recommended for keeping at school: outdoor activity calls for clothing that can handle wet weather and mess.

The June 2024 inspection also identified a school-wide need for more consistent checks on understanding and sharper scrutiny by governors of what children learn and retain. That improvement action should be read alongside the early-years grade, with its whole-school scope kept clear.

Settling starts before the first regular session. Inductions, home visits, meetings with the teacher and stay-and-play sessions give children and parents opportunities to get to know the adults and other families.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), transition planning can involve professionals already supporting the family. An agreed adjustment or staggered start may be used where appropriate, followed by an early discussion about settling and learning. This makes the starting arrangements responsive to the child’s needs.

The class teacher is the first contact for concerns, working with the Inclusion Team on additional support. Focused or Individual Target Plans are discussed with parents at least once each term, providing a regular opportunity to review targets. Across the school, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) supports communication through pictures where appropriate. A sensory room supports children’s emotional needs, while a lift provides access throughout the building.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through their local authority’s School Admissions service, usually using the online Common Application Form, by 15 January. The school’s listed Reception criteria cover looked-after children, siblings, exceptional professionally supported medical or social needs that the school is especially able to meet, and distance from school. Lambeth’s MEDSOC Panel decides medical or social priority; professional evidence does not automatically secure it. Nursery attendance is not a priority criterion in that list.

Preparation for a new class is a separate matter. For children receiving SEND transition support, social stories with photographs of their new adults and the transfer of support plans help make the change more familiar. These arrangements support the move; they do not determine admission.

Morning sessions run from 9am to noon; afternoon sessions run from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Full-time sessions follow the main school’s hours. The nursery offers the universal 15-hour entitlement and 30-hour funded places for eligible families. Parents seeking additional hours beyond 15, without entitlement to fully funded 30 hours, can use a charged top-up arrangement. Full-time allocation remains the school’s decision, rather than an automatic entitlement.

Application forms can be obtained from the office or downloaded, then returned to office@allenedwards.lambeth.sch.uk. General enquiries go to 020 7622 3985. The office can also arrange a school tour.

Uniform includes a blue logo sweatshirt or cardigan, white shirt or polo shirt, and black trousers, skirt or pinafore. Keep a complete spare outfit at school as well as waterproof outdoor clothing. Messy play has practical consequences for the clothes bag.