St Mary and St Michael Primary School Nursery

Mud-kitchen recipes and patterns on a light box give this nursery's learning a practical starting point. Children can put marks and words to something they have made, rather than treating early writing as an isolated exercise. Play supplies the purpose.

The nursery belongs to St Mary and St Michael Primary School, a Catholic primary school on Sutton Street in Stepney admitting children from age 3. Its early years approach follows children's interests, with adults extending learning through conversation, questions and timely intervention.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) connects seven areas of development through play. Here, planning follows children's interests and needs, with literacy, mathematics and religious education planned separately. Adults observe what children are doing and introduce ideas into their play, giving them opportunities to investigate while keeping their own projects moving.

Indoors and outdoors, the learning spaces include a home corner, construction provision and a mud kitchen. Sand, water, creative materials and playdough provide different ways to explore. A child might attempt a recipe in the mud kitchen or draw and label a pattern made on the light box. These are concrete reasons to experiment with writing.

Physical preparation matters too. Threading and painting exercise small hand movements; tweezers are used to pick up shapes. Throwing, catching and climbing develop larger movements and the strength needed for writing. Daily stories sit alongside talk and role-play, so language develops through listening as well as doing.

Read Write Inc. supplies the early years phonics approach, linking spoken sounds with written letters. Can Do Maths uses practical materials and visual representations, while PZAZ supports science exploration through play, independently and with adult help.

Teaching to consider. In April 2023, Ofsted identified a need for closer oversight of curriculum delivery, including early years: learning needed smaller steps and misunderstandings needed quicker attention. The nursery curriculum was broad, but teaching sometimes gave insufficient attention to the intended knowledge. For parents, the useful distinction is between engaging activities and what children learn and remember from them.

A senior early years educator holds the deputy safeguarding lead role for the nursery. That gives families a specific early years role to approach with a concern. The wider staffing structure includes an EYFS phase lead with inclusion responsibilities and a SENCo.

For children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the school describes an approach that listens to children's views and works closely with parents. This makes the family's understanding of their child part of the support conversation.

Physical access includes a level main entrance, a lift serving the site and accessible toilets near the entrance. These features matter for families and children who need step-free access.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process by the applicable deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as two separate decisions, even when the intention is to stay at the same school.

Nursery doors open at 8:30am, followed by an 08:50 soft start. Registration closes and lessons begin at 9:00am; the day ends at 3:25pm. The distinction between door opening and the formal start helps families plan the morning, while the finishing time sets the collection point in the afternoon.

The school office handles enquiries by telephone on 020 7790 4986 or email at admin@sm-sm.co.uk. The address is Sutton Street, Stepney, London E1 0BD.