Earlham Primary School Nursery Review

Playdough sculpture, self-portraits and learning to manage feelings give Earlham’s early years a character beyond first letters and numbers. The nursery belongs to Earlham Primary School in Forest Gate, with entry from age three, and sits within its Foundation Stage team.

Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 6 and 7 June 2023. That judgement covers early years across the school, rather than a separate nursery inspection.

Morning and afternoon sessions each provide a distinct part of the day. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together learning and children’s health and safety. Its seven learning areas encompass language, physical skills and emotional development alongside literacy, maths, creativity and understanding the world. For parents, this means development extends beyond learning to read or count.

In June 2023, early years children explored portrait painting and sculpture made from playdough. These were practical encounters with art, giving children different materials through which to express ideas. Early years teaching also included sound blending and segmenting, with focused practice and prompt extra help where needed. These findings concern the wider early years provision.

Independence has everyday expression too: children in early years were encouraged to look after their belongings and classroom. Listening carefully and waiting for a turn were taught from early years onwards, making participation with other children part of learning.

A class teacher and teaching assistants form the nursery team, with an EYFS cover supervisor working across nursery and Reception. Before a child starts, families meet the nursery teacher to register and receive a confirmed starting date. This gives parents a direct introduction to the staff responsible for the nursery.

Emotional support includes recognising difficult feelings from early years onwards. In June 2023, children could use calm corners to regain their composure before returning to learning. These physical spaces give children somewhere to pause.

For concerns about learning or development, parents should first speak with their child’s class teacher. The school’s special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) coordinates support, involves families in support planning and liaises with services including Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy. Parents can arrange a SENCo appointment through the office or email earlhamsenco@ekotrust.org.uk.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee an Earlham Reception place, including for families living within the catchment area. Parents must make a separate application through the local authority. Treat the nursery choice and the Reception application as two distinct decisions.

The London Borough of Newham manages Reception admissions. For September 2026 entry, the application route was the Pan London eAdmissions portal and the deadline was 15 January 2026. That deadline has passed.

Morning nursery runs from 08:40 to 11:40; afternoon nursery runs from 12:25 to 15:25. Families can express a preference for either session or a full day linked to 30 hours of funded childcare. Eligible parents must provide their eligibility code, National Insurance number and proof of their child’s birth date so the school can validate eligibility beforehand.

Toileting requirement. Children must be fully toilet trained before a place can be secured. This makes toileting readiness a practical consideration when planning a start.

To arrange a nursery visit and a conversation with staff, contact the school office on 020 8534 6127. Nursery applications can be emailed to earlhaminfo@ekotrust.org.uk or posted to the office. A longer conversation with a teacher can also be booked through the office, giving families a route for discussions that need more time.