The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Nursery at Hopping Hill 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Free choice shapes the day at Hopping Hill’s nursery: an open-plan room has smaller, cosy spaces formed by furniture, and children choose where to play. That gives the provision a clear character, with children’s interests helping to shape their learning.
The nursery has 78 places within Hopping Hill Primary School in Duston, Northampton. Funded provision starts in the term after a child turns three; in certain circumstances, children can join during the term of their third birthday through a Rising 3 Place.
Play is the starting point for learning. Within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), learning includes social skills, emotional wellbeing and practical skills developed by exploring tools and resources. Children choose activities, while adults observe their interests and introduce skills through play. The school uses aspects of in-the-moment planning: staff take a child’s engagement as a starting point for deciding what learning comes next. The implication is practical. Adults can bring teaching into an activity a child has already chosen.
Furniture divides the open-plan nursery into corners for different play choices. Tools and resources are accessible to children, giving them opportunities to select materials and develop skills through doing. In October 2025, nursery children explored Diwali by making clay diyas, then darkening the nursery and lighting them together. Making and sharing the lamps brought the celebration into a concrete activity.
Ofsted judged early years provision Good at the inspection on 26 and 27 November 2024. Children were keen to follow routines and learn alongside one another, with resources stimulating their curiosity. However, some activities lacked a clear enough connection to intended learning, so children did not always develop knowledge and skills as securely or quickly as they could. At that inspection, this left some early years children less well prepared for key stage 1 than they should have been. Purposeful adult support and sharper activity planning were required improvements.
Fox, Rabbit and Owl groups have named key-worker roles within the team: nursery teachers work with Fox, while nursery nurses work with Rabbit and Owl. This gives families a group-based structure for their child’s care. The school aims to support children’s emotional wellbeing through planned transition into early years.
Tapestry provides each child with an online learning journal. Staff record achievements, and families can contribute photographs and messages about successes at home, linking the two parts of a child’s experience.
For concerns about development or additional needs, the class teacher is the first contact, with the SENDCo accessible through the office. Families whose children have an Individual Education Plan can view it through a secure Edukey account. Lunch club is available for children attending both morning and afternoon sessions and requires a separate booking.
Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place at Hopping Hill Primary School. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions route and meet the normal deadline. Treat that application as a distinct step: choosing nursery provision should not be taken as securing the next school place.
The nursery offers 15 and 30 funded hours, with eligibility applying to the extended entitlement. Parents seeking 30 hours must complete the initial HMRC eligibility check in the school term before their child is eligible to start the funded place and repeat checks every three months. A funding parental contract is required each term.
Additional sessions beyond 15 funded hours can be booked through the school office if places are available. These sessions and lunch club are charged extras, paid through ParentPay; contact the school for current charges.
For nursery enquiries, call 01604 751625 or email office@hoppinghill.northants.sch.uk. The school is on Pendle Road, Duston, Northampton, NN5 6DT.
Funded provision begins in the term after children turn three. In certain circumstances, a Rising 3 Place allows entry during the term of their third birthday.
The nursery has 78 places.
Children choose activities and resources, while adults observe their interests and introduce learning through play. Staff use aspects of in-the-moment planning.
Families can add messages and photographs to their child’s Tapestry online journal, alongside achievements recorded by staff.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions process by the normal deadline.
