Old Ford Primary Academy Nursery Review

Confidence and independence sit alongside early reading and number work at Old Ford’s nursery. In November 2022, Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Outstanding, with nursery activities carefully planned to develop social and emotional skills alongside literacy and numeracy. That balance matters: learning to manage feelings and becoming ready to learn receive attention together.

The nursery belongs to Old Ford Primary Academy in Bow, part of Paradigm Trust. It is school-attached provision, with its own early learning curriculum within the academy.

Early learning has a deliberate sequence here. In November 2022, nursery children developed confidence and independence effectively, while their first steps towards reading included learning to connect letters with sounds. These are foundations children can build on as their learning progresses.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum combines personal development with early literacy, mathematics and learning about the world. Paradigm’s early years mathematics uses Maths Mastery. The approach gives mathematical ideas time to become secure before teaching moves forward, making understanding the aim rather than simply completing a topic.

Stories have a separate role alongside learning letter sounds. Across the Trust’s early years provision, Oral Shared Reading uses a text read aloud by a teacher to develop children’s understanding. Children who are learning to decode follow Read Write Inc, with books suited to the sounds they know. Listening and understanding therefore have a place alongside the mechanics of reading.

Jigsaw provides the early years personal and social education programme. Learning about difference and relationships complements the nursery’s emphasis on emotional development. Science themes include dinosaurs, eggs and chicks, and rainforest animals and plants. These give children concrete subjects through which to explore living things and their surroundings.

Before a child starts, an offer of a nursery place is followed by an arranged nursery visit or a staff visit to the family home. This gives staff an opportunity to assess the child in a familiar setting when the home visit option is used.

For children with special educational needs and disabilities, Paradigm’s early years assessment takes place within the first six weeks, followed by continuing observation. Support can include intensive work in small groups and specialist help from external agencies. The SENCo acts as the contact between families and professionals, giving parents a route for discussing additional needs.

Across the Trust, children joining with a disability who require specialist equipment meet the SEND team to discuss its use and staff training. Some pupils use individual work stations and visual timetables. These are adjustments for individual needs, rather than a single approach applied to every child.

Separate application. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply again through Tower Hamlets local authority and meet the normal Reception application deadline. Nursery entry and Reception allocation are separate decisions.

Preparation for the next classroom is a different matter. Across Paradigm’s schools, children joining Reception visit their new class during the summer term; children with additional needs receive more time for this. For children with an EHCP and identified needs, the SENCo arranges extra transition visits and meetings involving relevant professionals to develop a transition plan. This supports familiarity and continuity of care, rather than securing admission.

The school administration office is the route for nursery applications and enquiries. After a place is offered, staff arrange the nursery or home visit with the family. Parents discussing additional needs can also contact the SEN lead; school visits are welcomed across the Trust.