Hague Primary School Nursery Review

One nursery serves two school communities here: Hague and Stewart Headlam share their Federation Nursery at Hague’s Wilmot Street site in Bethnal Green. It is provision for three- and four-year-olds, with the shared class bringing families from both primaries to the same setting.

The character comes from that partnership and Hague’s specialist deaf provision. Children attend a mainstream nursery within a school whose classrooms have acoustic adaptations, making the listening environment a concrete part of the provision.

Books, conversation and early number work give a clear picture of the learning. At the September 2022 inspection, Ofsted described nursery children enjoying familiar stories, retelling tales and having repeated opportunities to practise counting, recognise numerals and explore shapes. These are tangible examples of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): children building language and mathematical understanding through activities they can return to.

Parents can join the opening ten minutes for Stay and Play, sharing play or helping their child practise their name. That gives families a small, regular part in the learning day. Outside, Hague has an Early Years Playground; its accessibility plan describes wheelchair access with assistance.

The same inspection identified a school-wide weakness in the English curriculum’s support for spelling and accurate writing, rather than a nursery-specific judgement. That distinction matters when weighing the early reading activities against the foundations for children expressing their own ideas on paper.

Settling begins before the nursery routine does. Home visits, introductory play sessions and information for parents form the preparation for joining. A Toy Library runs on one afternoon each week, giving families another opportunity to introduce a younger child to Hague.

The teaching team handles personal care in early years. Nursery assessment begins on entry, while regular EYFS parent meetings give families a place to discuss development concerns. Parents can also approach their child’s class teacher directly. These arrangements connect everyday care with conversations about how a child is progressing.

For children with additional needs, the federation’s SENCo and Inclusion Manager coordinates support across both primaries. Teaching assistants and nursery nurses support learning flexibly. Individual Education Plans set out next steps and are discussed with parents, then reviewed the following term.

Hague’s Deaf Resource Base supports children from nursery onwards through qualified Teachers of the Deaf and learning support staff. Specialist placements are for children with moderate to severe hearing loss suited to its auditory and spoken-language approach. Referral is usually through Tower Hamlets Special Needs Team, with an EHCP specifying attendance at a Deaf Resource Base. Its approach develops spoken communication through hearing, and teaching is not provided through signing. A Speech and Language Therapist works at Hague one day each week. Families considering this specialist provision should meet the inclusion team or Teachers of the Deaf to discuss whether it suits their child’s needs.

Physical access. Hague’s ground floor is accessible for people with mobility difficulties, but the building is not fully accessible. Families need to consider that restriction alongside the assisted access to the Early Years Playground.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place at Hague or Stewart Headlam. Families must make a separate application through the normal admissions process. For Tower Hamlets residents, the route is eAdmissions; the September 2026 entry cycle closed on 15 January 2026. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan follow the local authority SEN Team route instead of applying online.

Preparation for the next class is a separate matter. Transition work links the shared nursery with Reception at each primary. Familiarity and transition support help children prepare for the change; they do not replace the Reception application.

The morning timetable runs from 09:00 to 12:00. Hague’s timetable describes morning-only places, while the federation’s admissions information and 2025–2026 SEND policy also describe full-time provision for eligible families. Resolve that difference with the school before organising childcare around a full day.

The SEND policy sets out 15 universal hours for three-year-olds, plus another 15 hours for families meeting DfE eligibility criteria. Tower Hamlets’ coordinated nursery process offers part-time places first; requests for full-time attendance depend on availability and eligibility evidence.

For enquiries, contact Hague’s office on 020 7739 9574. Open sessions are advertised for November, December and January, offering a way to explore the nursery before choosing it.