Henry Cavendish Primary School Nursery Review

Stories shared on classroom cushions and a weekly sports lesson give Henry Cavendish’s nursery a character beyond its session timetable. Provision spans the Balham and Streatham sites, within each site’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). At Balham, the nursery classes are Acorns and Conkers; Streatham has Saplings. These are school nursery classes, with nursery teachers and early-years support staff.

Children can start in the intake after turning three. September is the regular entry point; January and April starts depend on class numbers. Ofsted graded the school’s early-years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 16 and 17 May 2024. That judgement covers the school’s EYFS rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Language gets deliberate attention here. Vocabulary development is planned across the early-years curriculum, alongside communication skills. The EYFS brings together early learning in areas such as number, shape, making things and understanding the world. For parents, that means the nursery’s learning extends beyond letters and counting to how children express themselves and explore ideas.

Adult-led activities sit alongside learning directed by children. The balance takes account of children’s development and changes as the year progresses. A concrete example from May 2024 shows what focused learning can look like: nursery children identified instruments by listening to their sounds. It put careful listening into practice through music.

Books have a place in the classroom and beyond. Story sessions were a regular part of early-years learning in May 2024, while the renovated libraries at both sites serve nursery children too. Reading Cafe adds a family element: on Fridays, parents and carers can share books with their child on classroom cushions between 8.55am and 9.15am. A sports coach also teaches nursery children once a week, giving physical activity a scheduled place alongside the classroom curriculum.

Settling starts before the first session. After an offer, a welcome meeting lets children see their classroom, meet the teacher and encounter some future classmates. A home visit follows before they begin, lasting approximately 30 to 45 minutes. A member of the teaching team attends with a teaching assistant or early-years educator to discuss questions, complete entry forms and confirm the start date. Families therefore have contact with staff both at school and at home before nursery begins.

Support for additional needs starts within the early-years team’s planning. The EYFS approach includes identifying SEND early and working with families and the inclusion team on referrals for appropriate support. This gives parents a role in arranging help, rather than leaving the conversation solely to staff. Reading Cafe offers another regular opportunity for families to participate in their child’s learning.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the Pan London eAdmissions website, with the deadline normally 15 January. The Reception criteria cover exceptional medical or social needs, looked-after children, siblings, children of staff and distance; nursery attendance is not a priority criterion.

Keep settling arrangements separate from that application. Once a Reception place has been offered, families are invited to a welcome meeting, followed by stay-and-play sessions with their child at the beginning of term. These provide preparation for the next stage, while the admissions decision follows its own process.

The full nursery day runs from 9am to 3.30pm. The school publishes morning and afternoon sessions and describes part-time/flexible provision as 15 hours across two and a half days. Confirm the available booking pattern and session times with the school.

Full-time provision totals 32.5 hours a week. Eligible families can use the government’s 30-hour childcare funding, with the remaining 2.5 hours charged; families using 15 funded hours can pay for additional hours. Additional hours are invoiced a term in advance. Contact the school for current charges.

For enquiries or a tour, call 020 8673 3376 or email admissions@henrycavendish.co.uk. School tours take approximately 45 minutes and accommodate up to three sets of parents. The nursery interest form starts the enquiry process, but joining the interest list is neither an application nor a place on a waiting list.