The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Nursery at St John's Roman Catholic 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Fruit peel goes into nursery compost bins here: environmental learning starts with something children can do themselves. St John's Roman Catholic Primary School's nursery combines that practical outlook with Catholic teaching and a separate outdoor play area, within the school's single-storey site in Rotherhithe.
Both full-time and part-time places are offered. This is the school's own Nursery class, with a nursery teacher, nursery nurses and a nursery assistant listed among the staff roles. Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 1 and 2 April 2025; that judgement covers early years within the school.
Play provides the starting point for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the early learning curriculum. Adult-organised activities sit alongside play that children direct themselves, indoors and outside. Storytelling, pretend play and rhymes give children opportunities to practise language; practical investigations introduce mathematical ideas through doing and trying.
Communication, physical development and children's emotional and social development receive a clear emphasis from Nursery onwards. In April 2025, children were doing exceptionally well in these areas. For parents, the emphasis matters: learning to express a need, manage feelings and participate with others forms part of the curriculum itself.
Song of Sounds introduces phonics in Nursery. Children explore the sounds within words and how to represent them in writing, connecting spoken language with early reading. Creative work also includes dance, drama and art, giving children other ways to express ideas and feelings.
Outdoor learning has two distinct settings: the nursery's separate play area and woodland beside the school, used across the seasons in the early years curriculum. Stave Hill Eco-Park is an adjacent resource for school learning. Composting fruit peel brings environmental responsibility into a small, repeatable nursery routine.
Catholic learning follows Come and See in EYFS. Its themes include friendship and belonging, alongside Easter and Christmas. Faith is part of the learning programme, rather than simply a feature of the school's name.
Children begin learning considerate behaviour from the start of early years. The nursery staff roles sit within a wider support structure that includes a SENDCo and an Inclusion Manager. Early years staff have received training focused on speech impairments and social communication needs, giving families a specific starting point for discussing support.
For children with special educational needs, settling arrangements can include extra visits or a staggered start where appropriate. A photo transition book can also help when that approach would benefit the child. These arrangements are tailored to need.
The school-wide SEND policy involves parents in planning support and reviews provision at least termly. Class teachers remain responsible for adapting teaching, with SENDCo oversight. This gives families a route for discussing how support is working over time.
Nursery attendance neither guarantees a Reception place nor confers priority under the 2026–2027 admission arrangements. Families must make a separate Reception application through the Common Application Form at eadmissions.org.uk, alongside the school's Supplementary Information Form and a Certificate of Catholic Practice where applicable.
For September 2026 entry, the deadline was 15 January 2026. That application cycle has passed. Keep the admissions decision separate from transition support: the school's arrangements include a summer Reception open session for families, information sharing between class teachers and photo books where beneficial.
Part-time sessions run from 8.45am to 11.45am or from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Each gives families a defined collection time around which to organise the rest of the day. Full-time places are also offered.
Morning drop-off uses the Nursery Gate beside the playground, with collection at the classroom's back door through that gate. Afternoon children use the Nursery Gate for both handovers; it opens from 12.30pm to 12.35pm and again at 3.30pm.
For nursery enquiries, contact the school office at office@st-john.southwark.sch.uk or 020 7252 1859. The school address is St Elmo's Road, Rotherhithe, London SE16 6SD.
Morning sessions run from 8.45am to 11.45am, and afternoon sessions from 12.30pm to 3.30pm.
No. The 2026–2027 admission arrangements do not give nursery attendance priority, and a separate Reception application is required.
The nursery has a separate outdoor play area. The early years curriculum also includes use of woodland adjacent to the school across the seasons.
Where appropriate, children with special educational needs can have additional visits or a staggered start. Photo transition books can be provided where beneficial.
Contact the school office on 020 7252 1859 or email office@st-john.southwark.sch.uk for nursery enquiries.
