Roehampton Church Forest Primary School Nursery

Play sets the direction here: adult-led activities sit alongside children’s own choices, with interests and themed topics shaping learning across the early-years unit. The nursery belongs to Roehampton Church Forest Primary School, a Church of England school in Roehampton. Governors admit up to 30 nursery children each year, with part-time and full-time patterns available. That gives families a choice of session length within the school setting.

Ofsted rated early-years provision Good at the inspection on 7 and 8 June 2023. This judgement covers the school’s early years, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) approach starts with communication, movement and children’s emotional and social development. Reading and writing, number work, creative expression and exploring the world build on those foundations. In parent terms, play serves several purposes: practising conversation, handling materials, making choices and learning alongside other children. Teachers plan around children’s interests as well as topics, adapting activities to individual needs.

There are concrete places and tools for that exploration. Classrooms have an art area for freely chosen activity, while early-years art projects continue through opportunities indoors and outside. Design and technology also has a classroom area, giving children space to investigate materials and try making things. These activities combine adult instruction with time to pursue an idea independently.

Technology enters through play too. Beebots and remote-controlled toys feature in early years; voice recorders let children listen back to themselves. Role-play spaces sometimes include phones and cameras, using working devices alongside models or broken equipment. The emphasis is on handling and exploring technology through practical activity.

Stories were a priority in June 2023, with children learning to share them. However, opportunities to broaden vocabulary were insufficient across early years, leaving some children less prepared for later learning. Language development. This was an explicit improvement priority, making support for conversation and new words an important consideration for families.

Consistent routines and relationships with staff and parents are central to the early-years approach. These provide a familiar framework around the changing activities and interests that shape learning.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the school uses individual support plans with termly targets around each child’s areas of need. Its referral process can involve Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy or Educational Psychologists, with parental agreement. Parents participate in decisions and remain involved throughout the support process. This is the school’s support structure, rather than a separate nursery service.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. The school office is the contact for Reception application information and procedures. Treat the nursery choice and the Reception application as separate decisions.

Part-time places cover 15 hours, usually mornings from 9:00am to 12:00pm or afternoons from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. Full-time places cover 30 hours, with attendance every day from 9:00am to 3:15pm. The morning and afternoon options therefore have different collection times.

Nursery enquiries and applications go through the school office. Families can also arrange a school tour by emailing info@roehampton.wandsworth.sch.uk or calling 020 8788 8650, specifying the year group they are interested in.