Edmund Waller Primary School Nursery Review

Ocean Class gives Edmund Waller’s nursery its own identity within the primary school. Based on Waller Road in New Cross, it sits within a school whose stated values are humanity, ambition and creativity. For families considering this provision, the useful distinction is between the nursery experience and the separate decision about a Reception place.

Maps connect early learning with children’s own experiences. In June 2023, Ofsted described children in the early years finding countries associated with family holidays. This gives an abstract idea a personal starting point: a place a child has visited becomes something they can locate on a map. It is a concrete example of how everyday experience can become the subject of learning.

Support for participation can also involve changes to the way learning is presented. The school’s SEND approach includes visual timetables, extra thinking time and movement or sensory breaks. These are adjustments according to individual need, rather than a single routine prescribed for each nursery child. For a parent, the practical value is a discussion about what helps their child understand instructions and take part.

A SENCo’s remit includes the nursery, giving families a route for discussing special educational needs and disabilities. Start with the class teacher; the SEND team can then be contacted at send@edmundwaller.lewisham.sch.uk. The school’s support process uses Assess, Plan, Do and Review, with progress considered termly. Parents contribute to decisions about support and must agree to specialist involvement.

For children with additional needs, communication includes the EYFS Tapestry Programme, parent meetings in autumn and spring, and a written summer report. Informal conversations with the teacher sit alongside those scheduled points. This gives families several ways to contribute information about their child, rather than relying on a single annual conversation.

Joining arrangements for children with additional needs can be personalised. Options include extra visits, meeting staff, shorter initial days and a booklet using photographs of important school spaces. These measures depend on the child’s needs. Medical support is recorded through Individual Healthcare Plans, which staff providing regular care must understand.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Lewisham Admissions using the normal application process and deadline.

The admissions page gives 15 January 2026 as the deadline for entry in September 2026. That cycle is now past; it should not be used as the deadline for a later intake. Personalised support with joining school is a care arrangement and must be kept separate from the allocation of a place.

General enquiries go to office@edmundwaller.lewisham.sch.uk or 020 7639 0436. School tours can be arranged through the office. Families discussing accessibility should consider the school’s physical layout: Rosen, Lloyd and Blume are its three main buildings, with ramps serving their lower levels. Corridors are narrow, and the playgrounds carry substantial traffic, so an individual discussion about access has practical value.