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Nursery at Ilderton Primary School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A Book of the Week gives Ilderton’s nursery learning a clear thread: stories lead into conversation, drama and activities indoors and outside. This is the nursery within Ilderton Primary School on Varcoe Road, part of the Mayflower Federation. Children must have turned three before September entry.
Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Outstanding at its inspection on 24 and 25 June 2025. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separate nursery inspection.
The day alternates between group gatherings and time for children to choose activities. Registration and settling occupy 8.55am to 9.15am, followed by a carpet welcome. The morning then combines choosing time with focused groups and interventions, before tidying and another group session. Children return to choosing activities in the afternoon, alongside I Can Talk, and finish with a carpet gathering ending at 3.30pm. There are repeated opportunities to come together between longer activity periods.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together learning about relationships, communication, movement, literacy, maths, creativity and the world. Development Matters guides this organisation. Adults join children’s play, explain ideas and ask questions, using what children understand and enjoy to plan their next learning steps.
Books supply the themes. A weekly introduction leads into adult-led activities and independent exploration across the indoor and outdoor environments; drama and discussion help children develop vocabulary. Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised provides the reading approach, with Nursery’s Foundations for Phonics concentrating on listening, attention and combining spoken sounds. Daily movement and hand-control activities prepare children for writing.
The June 2025 early years findings give a concrete example of the learning: children explored bees’ role in pollination, laying groundwork for later scientific understanding. Nursery rhymes and stories also featured. This is play with ideas to talk about.
Lunch has a defined place in the routine, running from 11.30am to 12.30pm, followed by outdoor play until 1.30pm. The federation’s meals undergo dietitian review, so food planning includes professional nutritional oversight.
For nursery starters with SEND, staff make a home visit to discuss individual needs. Changes to the settling period may be agreed with parents, and an advance visit can be encouraged where appropriate. These arrangements allow the start to be shaped around the child.
The class teacher is the first contact for concerns, with longer conversations arranged by appointment. Depending on a child’s age, development and needs, early years support can include Attention Autism and Little Wandle Foundations for phonics. Parents discuss individual education plans with staff, and targets are reviewed termly. In June 2025, early years children were sharing, taking turns and bringing others into their play: useful foundations for joining a group.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Southwark local authority using the normal Reception admissions process and deadline. Treat that application as a distinct step from joining Nursery.
For children with SEND moving between classes, the federation’s transition arrangements include advance information for the new teacher and sharing individual education plans. Parents are invited to meet the next teacher. A transition book may be used where appropriate, while children with high needs have One-Page Profiles to help new staff understand them. This supports continuity of care; it does not secure admission.
Nursery applications go through the school office, starting from January before the intended September entry. Contact Ilderton on 020 7237 3980 or ilderton@mayflowerfederation.org.uk.
Visits can be arranged through the office, including appointments outside the autumn tour period. This gives families a route to see the setting before deciding. The nursery timetable spans registration from 8.55am through the final carpet session ending at 3.30pm. Use those nursery timings when planning the day.
Children should be three before September entry. Nursery applications begin in the January preceding the intended September start.
Carpet gatherings alternate with choosing activities, focused groups and interventions. The timetable also includes lunch, outdoor play and I Can Talk.
Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised includes Nursery’s Foundations for Phonics, which develops listening, attention and oral blending. Stories and nursery rhymes also feature in early years learning.
Nursery staff carry out a home visit to discuss the child’s needs. Adaptations to settling can be agreed with parents, with an advance visit encouraged where appropriate.
No. Families need to apply separately for Reception through Southwark local authority, following the normal admissions process and deadline.
