Julian's School Nursery Review

A self-contained nursery space at West Norwood gives Julian's youngest children their own base within the school. Provision is for three- and four-year-olds, with entry in September after a child's third birthday. The nursery is at the Wolfington Road site; Streatham has no nursery provision. For families choosing between the two sites, that distinction matters from the outset.

Stories, conversation and practical comparisons give the clearest picture of learning here. In June 2023, Ofsted found that early-years learning was carefully organised and children began well. One nursery activity combined cubes with toy animals to explore height, giving children something concrete to compare while practising the vocabulary of size.

Regular storytelling and plentiful opportunities to hear and use language were also features of the nursery in June 2023. These are foundations for expressing ideas as well as understanding a story. A beekeeper's visit to the early years added a real person and subject to talk about. Together, these examples show learning through objects, words and encounters, rather than an abstract list of subjects.

The timetable introduced for September 2026 gives children either five full days or a fixed part-time pattern spanning two full days and a half-day. Families therefore choose a weekly pattern, with Wednesday split between the two part-time groups.

Settling begins before attendance: the nursery policy provides for a home visit before a child starts. That creates an opportunity for contact between home and staff before the first session. Lunch is a daily family responsibility, with children bringing food from home. Fruit is supplied for a snack, and drinking water remains available throughout the day.

For additional needs, the school's Inclusion Team includes a phase leader responsible for SEND in the early years and Key Stage 1. Access Passports record strengths, difficulties, targets and strategies; parents take part in termly reviews. This gives families a defined way to discuss support and revisit how it is working. The first contact for SEND concerns is the class teacher, with the Inclusion Team also reachable at inclusion@juliansprimary.org.uk.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal admissions process. The school's 2025–2026 Reception arrangements give no priority for nursery attendance: allocation follows the listed oversubscription criteria.

Those arrangements specify a Common Application Form through the child's home borough, a 15 January deadline and a supplementary form returned to Julian's. Use the route and deadline for your child's admissions round; the nursery application is a separate step.

Transition support is distinct from allocation. Nursery staff coordinate with Reception colleagues and transfer reports and agreed records to another school when appropriate. That planning supports children moving to Julian's or to a different chosen or allocated school.

Term-time attendance follows three patterns introduced for September 2026. Full-time children attend Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm. Part-time session 1 covers Monday and Tuesday, 9am to 3pm, plus Wednesday, 9am to noon. Session 2 covers Wednesday, noon to 3pm, then Thursday and Friday, 9am to 3pm.

All three- and four-year-olds have a 15-hour funded term-time entitlement; eligible working parents can claim another 15 hours. Full-time places require a top-up when the family does not qualify for the 30-hour code. Charged extensions run from 8:30am to 9am and from 3pm to 3:30pm for full-time and part-time children. Contact the school for current charges.

School Friend Club provides separately booked wraparound care until 6pm, using an early-years room for Nursery and Reception children. A possible 7:45am start depends on demand. Prospective families can arrange a nursery visit by appointment through the school; enquiries go to admissions@juliansprimary.org.uk or 020 8761 1894.