Hawthorne Primary and Nursery School Nursery Review

Cooking choices, instruments in the music room and yoga in the hall give Hawthorne’s nursery day a practical character. This is the school’s own provision for three- and four-year-olds in Bestwood Village, with its nursery class known as F1 Bunnies. A class teacher and teaching assistant make up the class team.

In March 2025, Ofsted found that children began their early years education strongly and developed positive attitudes to learning. That finding covers the school’s early years provision, rather than a separate nursery judgement.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) shapes the learning. In parent language, this brings together talking, movement and relationships with early reading, writing, number work, creativity and discovering the world. Hawthorne uses the Characteristics of Effective Learning alongside this: children explore, persist with challenges and develop ideas of their own. The emphasis is on how children learn as well as what they learn.

Bunnies’ enquiries explore the world, families and colour. Practical activities give those ideas something tangible: children investigate stretchy materials and weather, handle instruments in the music room and practise rolling with their hands and a rolling pin. Holding scissors adds another opportunity to practise hand control. Yoga takes learning into the hall, while a pollution walk around school connects classroom exploration with the immediate surroundings.

Cooking enrichment choices happen weekly throughout the year. This gives practical food preparation a regular place in nursery learning. Outdoor play also forms part of Lunch Club for children attending the longer pattern, with time outside before the afternoon session. Waterproof clothing and wellies belong in the kit: outdoor learning can leave footwear wet or muddy.

Lunch Club brings children together in a small group to eat. For those accessing 30 hours, staying for lunch is an optional charged arrangement; families can supply a packed lunch or pay for a school dinner. Ask the school for current charges. Snack-time milk is free for nursery children, but parents must register with Cool Milk for their child to receive it.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the school’s support arrangements include a SEND Support Plan reviewed each term with teachers, parents and the child. Parents are told before other agencies become involved, giving them an opportunity to discuss concerns. Support links include SBAP for social, emotional and mental health needs and SFSS for communication and interaction needs.

Early writing support. The March 2025 inspection identified a school-wide weakness in adapting writing tasks for children at an early stage, including those with SEND. Families whose children need this support should keep writing adaptations in view during support-plan discussions.

Assessment. The March 2025 inspection also raised a school-wide concern about inconsistent checks for misunderstandings and gaps in learning, asking the school to address these more systematically. Families should discuss how staff identify and respond to their child’s learning needs.

Attending Hawthorne’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal local authority process and meet the deadline for their child’s intake. Nottinghamshire handles school admissions through its coordinated scheme, with applications possible online, by post or by telephone. Treat that application as a separate task from arranging nursery attendance.

The 15-hour pattern is five mornings, 8:50am to 11:50am, or five afternoons, 12:30pm to 3:30pm, each week. These hours cannot be grouped into full days. This makes attendance regular, but gives families less freedom to concentrate childcare into fewer days.

Eligible children can access 30-hour provision from the school term following their third birthday, subject to spaces. The pattern runs Monday to Friday in term time, 8:50am to 3:30pm. Families need an eligibility code and must return the office’s 30-hour form; a nursery application form is also required if the school does not already hold one.

Joggers are permitted in nursery. Uniform includes a red jumper or cardigan, a white or red polo shirt and grey or black bottoms; logos are optional. Bring named clothing, waterproofs and wellies. Individual visits can be arranged through the school office. For enquiries, call 0115 927 1544 or email enquiries@hawthorne.notts.sch.uk.