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Nursery at South Grove 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Outdoor learning belongs inside the session at South Grove: writing, exploration and learning to play alongside others extend beyond the classroom. This is the school's own Foundation Stage Nursery on Ringwood Road in Walthamstow, with capacity for up to 40 full-time-equivalent places, or up to 80 part-time places. Full-time places are limited.
Children normally join in the term following their third birthday. September is the main intake; entry in April or January depends on space. For a child with a two-year-old funding code, a place may be possible in the term they turn three, subject to availability.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings learning and development together through play and planned activities. Outdoors is part of that learning programme rather than a separate break: children practise physical skills alongside exploring, writing and social interaction.
The nursery's autumn 2023 Transport plan gives a concrete example of how a topic connects those experiences. Planned work with The Train Ride and The Magic Train Ride included talking about journeys, retelling stories and listening. Activities were to include counting tickets for imaginary trips and representing vehicles with shapes. These are practical ways to connect stories, mathematical ideas and children's own experiences.
That plan also included scooters and bikes, scissors for paper snipping, and large climbing blocks that children could turn into vehicles for shared pretend play. Choosing between outdoor and indoor activities continued across the session, with daily activities suited to the outside. Learning therefore involved both small hand movements and larger physical challenges.
In May 2024, Ofsted described children encountering varied books and authors from the beginning of early years, helping their interest in reading develop. The governors' July 2024 account also described nursery curriculum planning around core books and half-term topics, with teaching responding to children's interests.
Teachers and early years practitioners make up the nursery team. Before children start, visits and workshops for families help them become familiar with the setting and introduce the partnership between home and school.
Support for additional needs can begin before entry. The school's 2023 SEN information report describes SENCo involvement in starting nursery, potentially including a visit at home or to a child's existing setting. Its accessibility plan identifies wheelchair access to the nursery classrooms and an accessible toilet within the EYFS area. These are concrete provisions for families considering physical access.
Toileting. Nursery admission requires children to be out of nappies unless a specific medical need has been discussed with nursery staff. Families affected by that exception need to raise it during the joining process.
Attending South Grove's nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Parents must make another application through the local authority's normal admissions process, by the deadline for their child's entry year. The school directs families to Waltham Forest for that process.
Preparation for the next classroom is separate from securing a place. Visits and workshops before Reception entry help children get to know their surroundings and give parents an introduction to working with the school.
Morning nursery runs from 8:50am to 11:50am; the afternoon session lasts from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. Entry is through the nursery gates. These close at 8:55am for the morning and 12:25pm for the afternoon; late arrivals go through the school office.
To enquire, contact the office or email parents@southgrove.waltham.sch.uk for an Initial Interest pack. Nursery visits take place on the first Thursday each month, with options at 9:30am and 1:00pm. Book through the office and confirm the session is running, as visitor numbers are limited.
Usually in the term after their third birthday. September is the main intake, with January or April entry dependent on available places. A child with a two-year-old funding code may be offered a place in the term they turn three, subject to availability.
The morning session is 8:50am to 11:50am, and the afternoon session is 12:15pm to 3:15pm.
No. A separate application must be made through the local authority admissions process.
Yes. Book through the school office for the first Thursday of the month, at 9:30am or 1:00pm, and confirm availability.
The nursery does not accept children in nappies unless there is a specific medical need, which must be discussed with nursery staff.
