Larkhall Primary Campus Nursery Review

Exploration and character development set the direction for Larkhall’s nursery provision. Little Larks serves two-year-olds, while Larks is for children aged three and four. Both belong to the mainstream school at Larkhall Primary Campus, on Smedley Street in Clapham, rather than forming a separate childcare setting.

For the older nursery children, play, imagination and learning together are central to the offer. Personal and social development sit alongside that exploration. Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good following its inspection on 20 and 21 June 2023; this is an early years judgement within the school inspection.

Larks gives children space to explore in a large early years learning environment. Its emphasis on imaginative play and shared discovery means the offer extends beyond adult instruction: children are encouraged to investigate and learn alongside one another. The focus is on participation.

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the curriculum framework. In plain parent language, Larkhall’s published school-wide learning areas cover communication, understanding maths, physical health and wellbeing, and personal and social development. Learning therefore extends beyond knowledge to how children express themselves and relate to others. Alongside it, Larkhall’s school-wide approach connects learning through themes, while its character principles are Resourcefulness, Respectfulness, Resilience and Reflectiveness. These give families a useful picture of the intended emphasis: solving problems, considering others, handling setbacks and thinking about choices.

In June 2023, children in early years shared resources sensibly, cooperated with peers and managed familiar routines. Adults helped them become more independent. These are practical foundations for a nursery day: joining in with other children, taking turns and gradually doing more for themselves.

Relationships with families are a concrete strength in the June 2023 early years findings. Staff understood the children in their care and maintained close contact with parents and carers. Their support covered children’s learning effectively, giving the relationship between home and nursery a role beyond passing on messages.

Larks also provides nursery newsletters explaining half-term learning, including one for Summer Term 2 in 2026. That gives parents a way to connect conversations at home with the nursery’s learning themes.

School policies place medical care within a partnership between families, staff and health professionals, with relevant staff training. The SEND policy addresses inclusion across teaching, the curriculum and the school environment. For families considering support needs, these establish the school’s responsibilities rather than promising a particular nursery intervention.

A separate application matters. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply again through the normal Reception admissions process. Larkhall follows Lambeth local authority admissions guidelines for Reception intake, so the nursery decision and the later school-place decision need to be treated separately.

For Little Larks, the school office offers help with checking eligibility for two-year-old funding. Contact it on 020 7622 3820. Ask the school for current charges.

Early Years school tours are offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9:00am. Register interest by calling the office or emailing admin@larkhall.lambeth.sch.uk. A tour provides a practical opportunity to see the early years environment before making a nursery choice.