Ronald Ross Primary School Nursery Review

Choosing an activity, gathering materials and looking back on what happened gives Ronald Ross nursery its distinctive rhythm. High/Scope shapes the day, with children making decisions alongside adult guidance. This is the school’s own nursery class at Beaumont Road, with entry from the term following a child’s third birthday.

Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Outstanding at the inspection of 22 and 23 May 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines learning through play with activities guided by adults. Here, the emphasis includes talking, movement and growing confidence with other children. High/Scope gives children a practical role in organising their learning: they choose an activity and its materials, then return to their experiences during recall time. Choices have a place in the timetable.

The routine begins with exchanging news. Small groups work with their keyworker on activities linked to children’s interests; choosing and playing are followed by tidying and discussing discoveries. Class gatherings bring stories, movement games, songs and dancing. Free-flow play gives children time to pursue an idea rather than move immediately to another task.

Indoor learning areas and outdoor space support repeated practice. In May 2024, adults used reminders and demonstrated language to help children connect activities with earlier learning. Weekly cooking developed safe food preparation, giving practical tasks a clear learning purpose.

Early reading uses Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised. Language also receives specific attention through the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI), delivered across the nursery class to develop vocabulary. Weekly nursery yoga adds another form of movement. For fine motor development, early years staff build mark-making activities around individual interests, connecting practice with something a child wants to explore.

A key person is assigned to each child. Before term begins, teaching teams arrange a home visit or a virtual alternative, giving families contact with the teaching team before their child starts. Evidence Me records photographs and observations of children’s development, giving parents a way to follow their learning.

The early years staffing structure includes qualified teachers, nursery nurses with NVQ Level 3 qualifications and specialist teaching assistants supporting special educational needs and speech and language. Families with concerns can meet the class teacher or SENCO to agree action and, where necessary, a review date. Children on the SEND register have termly reviews involving parents, so support can be reconsidered as needs change.

For children using wraparound care, breakfast choices include cereals, crumpets and toast. The after-school menu includes jacket potatoes, pasta and sandwiches, alongside fruit and vegetable options. Dietary requirements and allergies should be discussed with the office or wraparound team. These are meals associated with the extended day.

Toileting. The nursery application form asks children to be fully toilet trained before admission. Families should factor that expectation into preparations for starting.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. The nursery application declaration makes the separation explicit: parents must apply again through the local authority. Ronald Ross Reception applications go through Wandsworth Council, so families need to complete that separate process by the normal application deadline.

Class changes involve teachers sharing information with each other and parents. The SEND policy also provides for planning these moves with parental involvement. That preparation concerns continuity of care and learning; the Reception application remains a separate decision.

The full-day pattern runs Monday to Friday, 9am to 3.30pm. Part-time options follow the same weekdays: mornings run from 9am to noon, and afternoons from 12.15pm to 3.30pm. These are weekday session patterns, so families can compare the shorter sessions with the full school day.

Government funding covers 15 hours for three-year-olds. Full-time places can be funded or self-funded; ask the school for current charges and funding arrangements. Wraparound care also accepts nursery children.

Nursery applications go directly to the school office. Send the application to admin@ronaldross.wandsworth.sch.uk, or call 020 8788 5233. Monthly early years tours can be booked by telephone. The school gates open at 8.50am and again at 3.20pm, giving families a practical reference for the full-day start and finish.