Burlington Infant and Nursery School Nursery Review

Listening games, junk models and outdoor art installations give Burlington’s nursery its character: children learn by talking, making and exploring. Provision covers two-year-olds and children aged three to four, within Burlington Infant and Nursery School on Burlington Road, New Malden. For two-year-olds, there are eight morning places and eight afternoon places, supported by two qualified staff.

Blue class takes full-time nursery children; Green and Orange are morning classes, with Yellow and Purple meeting in the afternoon. Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Outstanding following its inspection on 11 and 12 October 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separate nursery inspection.

Language runs through the day. Little Wandle Foundations for Phonics brings together listening games, songs, rhymes and stories, with a new sound introduced each week. Children explore initial sounds, rhyme and syllables, and practise hearing the separate sounds within words. Books also go home every week from the start of Nursery, giving families a regular way to join in.

Choice matters alongside these learning sessions. During continuous provision, when children select resources for their own activities, they experiment with colour, make marks and build with junk materials. Puppets, music and singing help them practise vocabulary before writing becomes the focus. In October 2023, nursery children explored sound using objects, their bodies and their voices; early years children also used existing knowledge to predict what might happen. These are practical foundations for language and scientific thinking.

Outdoor learning has distinctive features. Art installations from the Shape, Mirror, Play exhibition at Orleans House Gallery sit in the nursery’s outdoor learning area, bringing art and science into children’s exploration. Weekly Out and About sessions introduce seasons and basic mapping. Children can also draw, talk and write about their surroundings during outdoor provision.

Technology starts with things children can handle. Early years resources include cameras, light boxes and torches, alongside programmable Bee-Bots and Code-A-Pillars. Exploring how an object works, then trying instructions on a toy, gives cause and effect a concrete form.

The two-year-old provision has its own small allocation of places and qualified staff. For children needing additional support, the school’s SENCo can be reached through the office at admin@burlingtoni.org.uk. A SEND Parent Champion offers another route for families to connect with support. Nursery events and learning updates are shared through the nursery webpage, while weekly take-home books provide a link with classroom learning.

Acorns adds care and meals for children aged three and above once they have settled into the three-year-old nursery. Breakfast includes toast, wholegrain cereals and fruit; a hot evening meal is served from 4.15pm. Registered allergies and intolerances inform the menus. These arrangements belong to the wraparound club, so families using it can plan meals around their extended day.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must submit a separate application through E-Admissions. For entry in September 2026, the deadline was 15 January 2026; that was a specific admissions cycle, not a deadline for later nursery starters. Families living outside Kingston apply through their home local authority.

Keep the application separate from preparation for the next stage. Little Wandle Foundations for Phonics develops the listening and language skills used before formal teaching begins. Familiarity with those activities supports learning, but it does not secure admission.

Morning drop-off runs from 8.30 to 8.45am, with collection at 11.30am. Afternoon drop-off is between 12.30 and 12.45pm, followed by collection at 3.30pm. Blue class uses the morning drop-off window and finishes at 3.30pm. For two-year-olds, collection doors open earlier: 11.20am or 3.20pm.

For the September 2026 cycle, two-year-old options comprised 15-hour funded places for eligible families and paid places. For three- and four-year-olds, options included the universal 15-hour offer, 30 funded hours for eligible working families and a paid 35-hour pattern. Ask the school for current charges. Nursery applications go through the school’s online portal; enquiries go to admissions@burlingtoni.org.uk.

Acorns operates on weekdays in term time, with breakfast care from 7.30am and after-school care from 3.20 to 6pm, closing at 5pm on early-closure days. Places can involve a waiting list. Contact acorns@burlingtoni.org.uk for club enquiries.