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Nursery at Ashmead Primary School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Flower patterns, models inspired by home life and a colour-changing sensory glow cube give Willow class its character. Ashmead’s nursery combines taught group sessions with play that gives children room to follow their interests. The examples are concrete: a flower table for exploring patterns and a construction area for turning familiar experiences into models.
Children can join from the term following their third birthday, subject to space. The nursery sits within Ashmead Primary School in Deptford and has 26 full-time-equivalent places, normally accommodating up to 26 children per session. Capacity can rise where demand and staffing permit, within EYFS ratios; longer-day places have a separate cap of 24 because of lunchtime staffing.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) day alternates adult teaching with play-based learning. Morning registration leads into a carpet session, followed by time for children to choose activities. Tidying and another group session come before lunch. This gives the session a recognisable rhythm rather than leaving children’s choices to fill the whole day.
The construction area, flower table and sensory glow cube show what those choices can involve. Children have made models linked to experiences beyond school, arranged flower patterns and experimented with the cube’s changing colours and flashing lights. These are opportunities to explore materials, represent ideas and play alongside others. Ashmead’s wider grounds include a tree-filled playground and an on-site Forest School.
Little Wandle is the named phonics scheme used across EYFS, alongside books matched to the sounds being taught. Ofsted’s November 2022 inspection identified a systematic approach to early reading and careful planning to establish children’s understanding of number in early years. These findings give parents a specific picture of the foundations being taught, rather than a separate nursery grade.
Settling begins before the first session. Two nursery staff offer a home visit shortly before a child starts, giving parents time to ask questions and discuss the move into nursery. New children then begin in small groups, with a settling period for children and carers. Starts are usually organised by age, and children with siblings at Ashmead often begin earlier.
At midday, children staying for the full day eat in their classroom, while the morning group goes home. That keeps lunch within the nursery’s familiar room. For SEND support, Ashmead uses a graduated approach and agrees next steps with families. The school’s remote-learning arrangements also use Tapestry for nursery families to share activities from home. Safeguarding concerns can be sent directly to the school’s designated safeguarding team at safeguarding@ashmead.lewisham.sch.uk.
Attending Ashmead Nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Lewisham; residents of the borough apply through eAdmissions. The application window runs from September to January for entry the following September. Nursery attendance is not among the listed oversubscription priorities, so choosing Willow class does not confer Reception priority.
Transition support is a separate matter. Nursery staff coordinate with Reception colleagues under the Lower School Lead and pass reports and agreed records to the child’s receiving school. This supports the move to whichever school allocates a place.
The 15-hour options run from 9am to noon or from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Eligible families can take a funded 30-hour place from 9.30am to 3.30pm, while the 32.5-hour option runs from 9am to 3.30pm with a paid top-up. Families using the universal 15-hour offer can add hours after settling; the office supplies current charges.
Session continuity. Morning or afternoon preferences depend on availability. Once accepted, that session remains the child’s pattern throughout nursery unless they move to full-time attendance. Choose a pattern your family can sustain.
Top-up commitment. Charges remain payable for the term despite absence or term-time holidays, and until term-end if a child leaves partway through. Factor that commitment into the longer-day decision.
Nursery applications go directly to the school, with forms collected from and returned to the office; enquiries can go to admin@ashmead.lewisham.sch.uk. Term dates allow later nursery starts for home visits and settling. There is no uniform: clothing should suit the weather, with covered shoulders and backs and no open-toed footwear.
Children can start in the term after turning three, depending on available places.
Morning sessions run from 9am to noon and afternoons from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. The funded 30-hour pattern is 9.30am to 3.30pm; the topped-up 32.5-hour pattern is 9am to 3.30pm.
Two nursery staff offer a home visit before the start. Children then join in small groups, with time allocated for settling.
No. Nursery attendance is not a listed Reception priority and does not guarantee a place. Families apply separately through Lewisham, using eAdmissions if they are Lewisham residents, during the September-to-January application window.
They eat in the nursery classroom at noon.
