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Nursery at Hillside Infant 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Language, turn-taking and learning to manage feelings give Hillside’s nursery its character. This is the nursery within Hillside Infant School on Northwood Way in Northwood, with provision for children aged three and a choice of morning, afternoon or full-day attendance. The practical distinction matters: families can choose a shorter daily session or a day that includes lunch.
The nursery teaching team includes a class teacher who also leads EYFS, a lead practitioner and a teaching assistant. Nursery sits within the school’s early years provision, while its daily timetable has its own start and finish times.
Communication and everyday social habits are central to early years learning. Ofsted’s October 2023 inspection identified an emphasis on developing language from the start of Nursery, alongside early years routines that teach children to wait, share turns and regulate their behaviour. These are practical foundations for joining in with other children and making themselves understood.
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) also includes developing social skills and understanding the wider world. Hillside Values provide a shared framework for behaviour, connecting those early habits with expectations across the school. Nursery assessment begins with checking what children can already do, followed by teacher assessments each term to inform their next steps. Families can also use the Nursery Learning Hub for support with learning at home.
There is a school-wide qualification to the curriculum picture: the October 2023 inspection found that some activities fell short of the planned curriculum’s ambition, reducing opportunities to consolidate learning. This was a finding about the school as a whole, rather than a separate nursery judgement.
Settling starts before the first regular session. Nursery Stay and Play takes place in July or December ahead of entry, giving children and parents time with the team and other families. Initial attendance is for part of a session; the next visit is usually a complete session. A slower introduction can be agreed according to the child’s needs, so the first steps need not follow one fixed pace.
Fruit snacks are provided for all nursery children. For those attending full time, lunch is either brought from home or ordered as a paid meal from HCL. That makes lunch planning part of choosing the full-day option.
For developmental concerns, parents can speak first with the class teacher and then approach the inclusion team. Its lead works full time and coordinates with external agencies. The school’s inclusion arrangements cover reasonable adjustments for SEND and support for medical conditions. Parents receive learning updates in October, March and July, giving them regular points to discuss progress alongside day-to-day concerns.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place at Hillside. For September entry, families must make a separate application online through their home local authority by mid-January each year. Hillingdon residents use Hillingdon’s route; families elsewhere apply through their own authority.
For children starting Reception, July Stay and Play offers a chance to explore the setting and meet staff beforehand. This preparation is separate from securing a place.
Morning nursery runs from 8:30am to 11:30am, afternoon nursery from 12:30pm to 3:30pm, and full-time attendance from 8:30am to 3:30pm. The shorter patterns provide 15 hours each week. Places for just one or two mornings a week are not offered, so this is a regular session commitment rather than occasional attendance.
Children aged three qualify for 15 hours of free nursery education weekly. The 35-hour option requires a valid 11-digit eligibility code for the funded childcare route; the application form specifies a charge for an additional hour each day. Without an eligibility code, a full-day place remains possible with 20 hours per week charged. Contact the school for current charges.
Nursery applications go through the school office. The contact page has an enquiry form, and families can arrange an individual school-day tour through office@hillsideinfant.org.uk or 020 8249 6860. This gives parents a practical way to explore the nursery before applying.
Morning sessions run from 8:30am to 11:30am, afternoons from 12:30pm to 3:30pm, and full-time nursery from 8:30am to 3:30pm. Attendance for only one or two mornings per week is not offered.
Stay and Play takes place in July or December before entry. Children begin with part of a session, usually moving to a full session on their next visit. A more gradual start can be agreed with parents.
All nursery children receive a fruit snack. Full-time children bring a packed lunch or have a paid meal ordered from HCL.
No. For September entry, families apply separately through their home local authority, online, by mid-January each year.
Children aged three are eligible for 15 funded hours weekly. The 35-hour option uses a valid 11-digit eligibility code, with an additional daily hour charged. Without a code, full-day attendance includes a charge for 20 hours weekly. Ask the school for current charges.
