Hampton Lakes Primary School Nursery Review

Child-led play gives Little Ripples its character: children choose where and when to learn, with adults helping to develop their ideas. This is Hampton Lakes Primary School's nursery in Hampton Gardens, Peterborough. It serves children aged 3 to 4; part-time and full-time places were offered in March 2024.

The nursery class teacher also leads the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). That connects classroom teaching with responsibility for the early years curriculum. Ofsted judged early years provision Good at the inspection on 26 and 27 March 2024. This judgement covers the school's early years provision.

Choice is central to the school's early years approach. The school describes Sustained Shared Thinking as central to its early years approach. The EYFS combines learning to communicate, move and manage feelings with early reading, mathematics, creativity and discovering the world.

An earlier autumn programme, Autumn Time, shows how those aims translate into activities. Its finger gym paired threading and tweezers with playdough to exercise small hand movements. Outdoors, construction materials were intended for den building and obstacle courses. Chalk and paintbrushes supported mark-making inside and outside, giving children different ways to practise movements used in writing.

Stories shaped the planned learning. The Leaf Thief and Little Acorn sat alongside activities such as leaf printing and autumn observation in the school grounds. Children were invited to contribute family photographs for a shared book, connecting classroom conversation with familiar people.

Number work had a practical shape, too. The autumn routine included a number and shape of the day, matching Numicon and counting objects using a ten frame. A mystery bag turned shape recognition into a guessing activity. These examples make the nursery's play-based approach tangible.

In March 2024, children in Nursery were beginning to learn to read. Across early years, children practised sharing and turn-taking, while many developed language and mathematical understanding as intended. Activities addressing gaps in knowledge were beginning to make a positive difference.

Nursery weekly updates give families a regular connection with class learning. For additional needs, the school's special educational needs coordinator is a contact through the office. An Engagement and Pastoral Support Coordinator also supports families, with Early Help and, where appropriate, signposting to other agencies among the routes offered.

School lunches are eaten in the hall, where adults help children develop independence with food choices, cutting food and clearing away. These are school-wide arrangements, rather than a statement of nursery meal entitlement.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Peterborough City Council's online portal. For September 2026 entry, the deadline was 15 January 2026; that application cycle is now past.

Local-authority transition activities are offered to families to help prepare for starting school. Preparation and admission remain separate matters: familiarity with school does not secure a place.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 01733 246 826 or office@hamptonlakesprimary.org.uk. The school is on Waterhouse Way in Hampton Gardens, Peterborough, PE7 8SJ.

The part-time and full-time options recorded in March 2024 describe two attendance patterns. Families choosing between them should consider how the nursery fits their child's routine alongside the separate Reception application.