Selwyn Primary School Nursery

Learning to share, listen and cooperate gives Selwyn’s early years its clearest character. Nursery belongs to Selwyn Primary School in Plaistow, Newham, where the school’s age range begins at three. This is provision within a primary school, with nursery learning forming the starting point of a curriculum that builds knowledge and vocabulary over time.

At the Ofsted inspection on 18 and 19 March 2025, early years provision was graded Outstanding. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery. For parents, the useful detail is how those early foundations combine learning with getting along with other children.

Vocabulary and knowledge are planned from nursery onwards. Children’s earliest learning therefore has a place in a longer sequence: new words and ideas provide foundations for what comes later. The emphasis is on building understanding over time, rather than treating nursery as an isolated stage.

Social learning matters alongside that curriculum. In March 2025, children in the early years paid attention to adults, practised sharing and learned to wait for their turn. These are practical skills for joining group activities and playing alongside others. Early years children also approached learning with sustained concentration.

Trips and visits connected to the curriculum extend opportunities from the early years onwards. Their purpose is to broaden children’s experience while connecting it to learning. For a parent weighing up the nursery, this combination of planned learning, concentration and cooperation is more useful than the grade alone.

Learning to cooperate gives children practice in managing the social demands of a group. Sharing and turn-taking are part of that early years experience, helping children participate alongside their peers.

For concerns or complaints, families can contact the school by telephone or email. That gives parents a direct route for raising an issue and discussing it with the school.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the deadline for their entry year. Choosing the nursery and applying for Reception are separate decisions.

For September 2025 entry, the trust adopted Newham’s admission arrangements. Families living in Newham applied through LB Newham Pupil Services; families elsewhere applied through their home borough, naming Selwyn as a preference. Those arrangements relate to a past admissions cycle. Front Office staff can help families with admissions queries, giving parents a practical contact while they organise the separate application.

The school is on Selwyn Road, London E13 0ES. Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by emailing info@selwyn.ncltrust.net or by calling 020 8471 6173. Families can also use the form or telephone to arrange a school visit.

For travel, Upton Park station provides access to the Hammersmith & City and District lines. Bus routes serving the school include 241, 115, 69, 473, 325 and 262. Nearby parking is limited and uses pay-and-display bays, so families travelling by car should factor that constraint into their daily journey.