Manorfield Primary School Nursery Review

Familiar stories give Manorfield’s early years learning a concrete starting point: children use them to explore how time passes and why things happen. This is the school’s own nursery in Poplar, with provision for children aged two to four on its Wyvis Street site.

There is one class for two- to three-year-olds, offering up to 40 part-time places, and two classes for three- to four-year-olds with 80 part-time places. These are place totals across sessions, rather than the number attending together. Ofsted graded early years provision Good at the inspection on 19 and 20 June 2024; that judgement covers the school’s early years provision.

Three-hour morning or afternoon sessions give the part-time day its shape. Older nursery children can also attend a full day. Within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the June 2024 findings describe learning arranged so that children build on what they already understand. Listening to familiar stories, then responding to them, provides an early introduction to sequence and cause and effect. Stories have a learning purpose beyond entertainment.

Book-led activities also feature in the nursery’s June 2020 home-learning materials. Where The Wild Things Are prompted counting through stomping, jumping and hopping, alongside decorating the initial sound of a child’s name. The Train Ride linked ordering numbers with making tracks in rice, flour or salt and tapping a story’s beat. These are historical examples of combining movement, language and number, rather than a timetable for today’s sessions.

The staff structure includes nursery nurses, an assistant headteacher responsible for EYFS and an assistant SEND lead covering early years. Families with concerns about development can contact the SENCO through reception or at senco@manorfield.towerhamlets.sch.uk.

Support can include visual or practical resources, changes to learning tasks and targeted interventions. Pupil Passports record individual targets, with parents involved in termly reviews. The school’s 2024/25 SEND information report also describes parent drop-ins and a home/school contact book when agreed useful. That gives families several ways to contribute to support planning.

Physical access needs individual consideration. The same document describes ramps and a lift, while acknowledging that some classrooms are harder to access and class locations may change to accommodate a child’s needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and is not a priority criterion in the admission arrangements. Families must submit a separate application through the e-admissions portal, even when their child already attends Manorfield’s nursery. The stated application window runs from 1 September to 15 January. Keep that application separate from nursery arrangements.

For children with SEND moving between classes, information goes to the next teacher beforehand, usually with a planning meeting. Children with more complex needs, or those needing extra help with the change, can have a transition book. This prepares the child for a new class; it does not alter admission rights.

Both age groups have morning sessions from 8:45am to 11:45am and afternoons from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. For three- to four-year-olds, the full-day timetable is 9am to 3:30pm, with a soft start from 8:45am.

Two-year-old places are offered from the term after the second birthday, subject to eligibility and staffing. Funding routes include EL2 eligibility or a 15- or 30-hour code. Two- to three-year-olds without either funding route may self-fund up to a maximum of 30 hours. For older nursery children, full-time places are offered to families presenting a 30-hour code; those outside that scheme may self-fund up to 15 hours. Contact the school for current charges.

Enquiries and tours can be arranged through admin@manorfield.towerhamlets.sch.uk or 020 7987 1623. The office accepts visit enquiries by telephone between 8am and 4pm.