Sheringham Nursery School & Children's Centre

Play indoors, shelter-building outside and books shared at home give Sheringham’s nursery provision its character. This maintained nursery school serves children aged two, three and four in Newham’s Manor Park and Little Ilford neighbourhoods. It offers 200 part-time places, with specialist teachers and qualified early years educators working together. Nursery education is the school’s purpose, rather than an additional class within a primary school.

The provision also connects families with Manor Park Community Children’s Centre, which Sheringham leads. That relationship brings support for children and parents alongside nursery learning.

Children learn through play, with time for their own choices alongside activities adults introduce. Learning happens inside and outdoors. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum is made accessible to parents through a short guide; in daily practice, children’s interests and existing abilities help shape what adults offer next. This gives families a way to understand the learning behind the play.

Language has a central role. In May 2024, Ofsted found that adults extended children’s vocabulary through conversation and used stories in teaching, including mathematics. Books can also be requested by children, giving them an active part in choosing what to hear. The Essential Books Index includes Dear Zoo for two-year-olds and Owl Babies for older nursery children. Sheringham’s own ShREC approach supports communication, while book and rhyme videos help parents continue the conversation at home.

Forest School includes every three- and four-year-old. Bug hunts, shelter construction and hot chocolate beside a campfire give outdoor learning concrete tasks and experiences. A Green Screen extends beside the building’s frontage and children’s garden. Practical independence matters indoors too: the May 2024 findings describe children making models with nails and hammers at a woodwork bench. These are opportunities to handle tools and make decisions themselves.

A key person links each child’s learning with home. Through Tapestry, parents receive selected videos of their child’s play and can contribute examples from home. The key person discusses each uploaded video with families, making the record a starting point for conversation. WhatsApp carries nursery messages and allows parents to send questions or information; book and rhyme suggestions arrive every two weeks.

Families can use the Handbook for Families and settling-in resources. All staff have paediatric first-aid training, and Sheringham has achieved Millie’s Mark. In May 2024, children had trusting relationships with their key person, adults helped them recognise feelings and listen to others, and safeguarding arrangements were effective. Snack preparation also supported independence: children used food cutters and knives with staff support before eating what they had prepared.

Extra help can include small-group learning or additional time to practise a skill, agreed with parents. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learned alongside their peers in May 2024, with adults adjusting support so they could participate. The children’s centre relationship helped identify needs before some children started nursery, allowing families and specialists to work together early.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Treat choosing a nursery and applying for a primary school as separate decisions.

Preparation for the next stage includes practising independence, developing conversation and learning to manage feelings. These everyday experiences have value whichever primary school a child subsequently attends.

Part-time attendance totals 15 hours a week, generally spread across five mornings or five afternoons during school terms. All three- and four-year-olds qualify for the free 15-hour nursery education offer; two-year-old places depend on eligibility. Working parents whose child is over three may qualify for a full-day place and can indicate this on the application form. The nursery also describes a small number of full-time places, prioritised for children with disabilities and special educational needs. Confirm the applicable allocation criteria with the school.

Apply using the Sheringham Nursery School Application Form. Staff contact families when a space becomes available. Reception staff can arrange a visit, and enquiries can go to 020 8553 2479 or info@sheringham-nur.newham.sch.uk.

For additional childcare, the Sheringham Childminder Network offers a separate arrangement around nursery attendance, including collection and drop-off. Extra hours are bought separately. Sheringham asks families to walk, cycle or scoot to nursery, which is useful to factor into the journey.