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Nursery at Stepney Park 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Chickens, mud kitchens and a weekly woodland visit give Stepney Park’s nursery a distinctive outdoor thread. This is the school’s own nursery on Smithy Street in Stepney, with children usually starting in September after their third birthday. Language is another defining feature: songs, storytelling and rhymes give children material for conversations as well as play.
Ofsted rated the school’s early years provision Good at its inspection on 16 and 17 May 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.
Outdoor learning runs through the day. Children have continuous access to the outdoor area, where they can watch and feed chickens, tackle climbing equipment or experiment in mud kitchens. There are quieter places for books and conversation, alongside room for running. Weekly visits to the woodlands add nature exploration and story reenactment, giving children opportunities to develop movement and coordination through their play.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum uses Development Matters guidance. In everyday terms, children learn through exploration, adult interaction and practice, with their interests helping to shape activities. Adults demonstrate how to use equipment, care for resources and clear up. They also model play and introduce vocabulary, so independence comes with practical guidance.
Books and early writing have a visible place indoors and outside. Book corners keep texts within reach, while mark-making materials let children try out writing during different activities. Nursery children hear an adult read each day and use Phase 1 of Letters and Sounds to prepare for phonics. Children who are ready may begin the Tower Hamlets Education Partnership phonics programme towards the end of nursery.
Maths includes a daily planned activity, but also appears in routines such as sorting resources and tidying. A new counting rhyme is introduced each term. These repeated opportunities connect number learning to familiar actions. In May 2023, children in early years practised skills both independently and with other children across organised indoor and outdoor learning spaces.
Adults help children understand the setting through demonstrations of activities and support with interactions. In May 2023, relationships between early years children and adults were positive, and classrooms were calm. That combination gives children support while they learn to play alongside others and manage the expectations of a group.
For concerns about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the first conversation is with the class teacher, who can involve the special educational needs coordinator. Early years staff had the knowledge to recognise SEND in May 2023. However, the school’s curriculum planning for some pupils with complex needs did not define essential learning clearly enough, leaving gaps in knowledge or skills. Families whose children have complex needs should discuss specific learning goals and adaptations. The same inspection also identified occasional delays in correcting phonics mistakes, a school-level concern relevant to conversations about early reading support.
Parent communication uses emailed letters and Parent Pay text messages. Questions sent to the administration team are directed to the relevant staff, with a response intended by the end of the second working day. The school’s Pastoral Care Team also supports families with parenting, health and wellbeing, and can provide Bengali translation.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal admissions route, even when their child already attends the nursery. Tower Hamlets manages the school’s admissions.
For the September 2025 intake, the school directed families to E-admissions and gave a deadline of 15 January 2025. That was a past application cycle. Treat the nursery choice and the later Reception application as separate decisions.
Visits to the early years setting can be arranged through the school office. Contact admin@stepneypark.towerhamlets.sch.uk or telephone 0207 884 5225 to make an enquiry.
The school is on Smithy Street, London E1 3BW. Parking in its car park is limited, and visitors bringing a car must telephone the office first to check for a space. For family communication, parents are required to register with Parent Pay when their child joins and keep their contact details current.
Children usually start in September following their third birthday. Eligible children may access a funded nursery place from the start of the term after that birthday.
Children can feed and observe chickens, use climbing equipment and play in mud kitchens. Early years children also visit the woodlands each week.
Adults read to children daily. Phase 1 of Letters and Sounds prepares children for phonics, with the Tower Hamlets Education Partnership programme potentially starting towards the end of nursery for children who are ready.
No. A separate Reception application is required even if the child already attends the nursery. Admissions are managed by Tower Hamlets.
Contact the school office by email at admin@stepneypark.towerhamlets.sch.uk or telephone 0207 884 5225. The early years team welcomes visits arranged through the office.
