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Nursery at Bond 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Sound games, woodland exploration and a sensory garden give Bond’s nursery its character. Part of the Little Explorers early years provision at Bond Primary School in Mitcham, it combines activities led by adults with play chosen by children. There is room for both shared learning and following an individual interest.
Ofsted graded early years provision Good at the inspection on 1 and 2 October 2024. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision rather than a separately inspected nursery. The nursery-specific finding was practical: children learned routines that helped them follow instructions and focus on learning.
Language runs through the day. Nursery children use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, following its Foundations for Phonics guidance. Daily practice includes joining spoken sounds together, alongside stories and rhymes that develop vocabulary. The emphasis is on listening and talking, giving children ways to express themselves before reading becomes more formal.
The early years day begins with phonics, followed by play that allows children to move between activities inside and outside. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) links these experiences to physical development, communication, thinking and emotional development. Here, that means learning through practical activity as well as adult teaching.
Indoors, children can build in the construction area, investigate materials or act out ideas in role play. Reading corners and writing tables make books and marks part of their play. Sand, water and music areas provide further starting points for exploration, rather than keeping learning at a table.
Outside, the sensory garden sits alongside woodland exploration and loose parts play using natural materials. Opportunities for writing and maths extend outdoors too. Children can pursue an idea across different spaces, with adults supporting conversation and learning as they play.
The shared early years programme also includes maths using the NCETM Number blocks scheme, with objects to handle and mathematical language to practise. Circle time and a story close the day, giving children an opportunity to discuss their experiences. These activities sit within the combined early years programme; the October 2024 inspection recorded morning and afternoon nursery sessions.
Communication support includes Picture Exchange Cards, giving children another way to express themselves and interact. Consistent routines provide a familiar structure, while the proud wall makes children’s experiences visible to their classmates and families. This connects recognition in the classroom with conversations at home.
Books provide another link with parents. The early years borrowing system includes dual language books and texts connected to classroom learning. Parents can contribute photographs, videos and observations of reading at home, bringing their child’s interests into that exchange. School coffee mornings also cover topics including neurodiversity and Zones of Regulation, offering parents opportunities to share experiences and learn together.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the local authority’s normal admissions process and meet the deadline for their entry year.
Bond’s admissions page identifies Merton as the decision-maker. Its criteria for entry in 2025 did not include nursery attendance as a priority category. Those arrangements belong to that past entry cycle; they should not be treated as the rules for a later application. The useful distinction is between a child becoming familiar with school life and a family securing a school place.
Session pattern. The October 2024 inspection recorded morning and afternoon nursery sessions. Confirm current session arrangements with the school office when planning childcare.
For enquiries, contact the school office at bondprimary@bond.merton.sch.uk or on 0208 648 8757. Bond Primary School’s address is Bond Road, Mitcham, CR4 3HG.
The early years provision includes a sensory garden, woodland exploration and loose parts areas with natural materials. Writing and maths activities also extend outside.
Children follow Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised’s Foundations for Phonics guidance, with daily oral blending, stories and rhymes.
The early years book borrowing system lets families share books at home. Parents are encouraged to contribute observations, photographs and videos of their child’s reading.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the local authority’s normal admissions process. Bond’s listed criteria for entry in 2025 did not give nursery attendance its own priority category.
Email bondprimary@bond.merton.sch.uk or telephone the school office on 0208 648 8757.
