Guilden Morden CofE Primary Academy Nursery Review

Dinosaurs provide a starting point for learning new vocabulary at Guilden Morden's nursery: children encounter words such as fossil as they explore a topic. It is a concrete example of learning with a purpose. In January 2025, the youngest children were interested in their activities and developing an interest in the wider world.

The provision includes two-year-olds and belongs to Guilden Morden CofE Primary Academy, a Church of England primary school on Pound Green. Its academy trust adopted the name Grace Schools from September 2026, having previously been known as DEMAT. Nursery attendance and a future school place remain separate decisions.

Activities combine exploration with specific learning goals. In January 2025, staff used the dinosaur topic to introduce vocabulary, giving children language with which to describe what they were discovering. The value for parents is the connection between an engaging subject and something a child can learn from it. Curiosity has a clear purpose here.

Teaching takes account of mixed ages, including within early years. In January 2025, the curriculum had been adjusted for those groups, helping learning to build across subjects. Early English and mathematics received thorough attention within early years. This places language and number learning alongside children's exploration of the world.

At trust level, the curriculum aims to build knowledge in a deliberate sequence so that children retain what they learn. Grace Schools also aims to develop confidence and social skills. These are trust ambitions; the nursery's dinosaur activities provide a specific illustration of vocabulary teaching in practice.

Predictable routines matter from the pre-school stage. In January 2025, these helped children feel secure, and children in early years were comfortable and content. For a young child, knowing how the day works provides a foundation for taking part in learning.

Support for special educational needs and/or disabilities sits within a trust framework. Where children need additional help, the approach uses ASSESS-PLAN-DO-REVIEW: identify the need, plan support, put it into practice and reconsider it. The trust describes parents as partners in this process, with the headteacher and SENDCo as contacts. This gives families a role in reviewing support rather than treating it as a single decision.

Behaviour across the school. In January 2025, some pupils continued to experience name-calling despite incidents being dealt with. The school needed clearer guidance and consistent responses to prevent repetition. This was a school-wide concern, rather than a finding specifically about nursery children.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place at Guilden Morden. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route by the normal deadline. Treat choosing nursery provision and applying for school as two processes, even though both concern the same academy.

The academy's address is Pound Green, Guilden Morden, Nr Royston, SG8 0JZ. The school can be contacted on 01763852318. Use this school contact for a nursery enquiry, keeping it separate from the later Reception application.