Maryland Primary School Nursery

A playhouse that can become a space station and a chicken coop called Cluckingham Palace give Maryland’s nursery a character of its own. This is provision within Maryland Primary School on Gurney Road, Stratford, with an open-plan nursery building and garden. The nursery caters for children aged three to five, with capacity for 78.

Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection of 22 and 23 February 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Imaginative play has a concrete setting here. The Nursery Playhouse can serve as a garden centre or the International Space Station, giving children different situations to explore through pretend play. Outdoors, the nursery garden and Cluckingham Palace bring plants and animals into the learning environment. The coop was built for the nursery’s chicks, connecting this part of the school with the practical business of caring for living things.

Reading also starts in nursery. Read Write Inc. introduces phonics, while daily stories and a classroom book corner put books alongside other activities. These are different routes into literacy: listening to stories, exploring books and beginning to connect sounds with written words.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) includes the foundations of writing, language and managing feelings. In February 2023, early years classrooms provided secure, engaging surroundings, and children regularly had chances to attempt writing independently. Children also handled their emotions well, an important part of participating in learning alongside others.

Language development. Adult speech did not consistently stretch children’s vocabulary or help them build more developed sentences in February 2023. Some opportunities to hear and try unfamiliar language were lost. Staff training in this area was an improvement requirement, making adult conversation an important consideration alongside the books and phonics programme.

Support extends beyond classroom teaching. The school’s Inclusion Offer provides for individual help, small-group work and adjustments within class. A sensory room and a nurture room support emotional regulation, while the Calm zone adds another named space within the school’s provision. These facilities give families concrete support arrangements to discuss in relation to their child’s needs.

A Family Support worker and Learning Mentor work with children and parents on difficulties involving behaviour, attendance and family circumstances. Appointments can be arranged through the office. An intimate care protocol can also be requested.

Putting plans into practice. In February 2023, the school did not consistently implement the agreed strategies in pupils’ education, health and care plans. Checks on the necessary resources and teaching methods needed strengthening. This was a school-wide concern, relevant to families whose child needs planned support.

School-wide safeguarding arrangements were effective in February 2023. Staff received training and updates, followed procedures for raising concerns, and leaders acted promptly. That provides context for care across the school, including its nursery.

Attending Maryland’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Choosing the nursery should therefore be a decision about the child’s nursery experience, with the later school application treated as a separate step.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 0208 5348135 or email info@maryland.newham.sch.uk. The school offers tours by appointment, giving parents an opportunity to see the nursery’s place within the wider site. The address is Gurney Road, Stratford, London E15 1SL.