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Nursery at Ridgeway 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Plant collages, songs and stories give Ridgeway’s early years a concrete starting point: children learn through making, listening and talking. The nursery caters for children aged 3–4 and forms part of Ridgeway Primary School on Southcote Road in South Croydon. It shares the school’s inclusion and family support arrangements.
A three-hour morning or afternoon session gives families a shorter nursery day; eligible children can attend from 9am to 3pm across Monday to Friday. That choice changes the rhythm of the week, especially whether lunch forms part of the day.
The Early Years Foundation Stage brings learning and personal development together. At Ridgeway, the concrete examples include building vocabulary through creative work and practising independence through everyday routines. In March 2024, children in early years used plant collages to develop scientific language. Making something was also an opportunity to learn words and discuss ideas.
Songs and storytelling support imagination. The reading programme begins in early years, linking early language experiences with learning about sounds. These activities give children several ways to participate: listening, speaking and creating.
There is a qualification to the curriculum picture. The March 2024 inspection identified a school-wide need to clarify essential content and its teaching sequence in some subjects, so that later learning builds securely on earlier knowledge. This was a concern across the school, rather than a finding confined to nursery.
Settling involves learning how to share and do things independently. In March 2024, nursery children were settling promptly into school life, with adults helping them establish these everyday habits. For a child starting group provision, that practical support matters alongside the learning activities.
Ridgeway Nurture is accessible to nursery children as well as older pupils. Its dedicated Nurture Room provides somewhere to discuss feelings and worries, while the team works with teachers and the SENCO. Planned targeted sessions require a teacher referral and parental consent. Support therefore connects with classroom life and involves families in the decision.
For speech and language concerns, nursery families can contact the local clinic directly or attend Chatterbox sessions at local children’s centres. School staff can carry out an individual speech and language care plan, with reviews taking place at the clinic. The school’s support arrangements also include parent consultations in November and March, a summer written report and termly reviews for children with an Additional Support Plan.
Children attending the full 30-hour pattern need a packed lunch each day. Families should build preparing that lunch into their nursery routine.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately through Pan London via Croydon Council, with the normal application cut-off described as mid-January in the year of entry. Treat that application as a separate task, even when your child already attends Ridgeway.
Transition support is a different matter from admission. For children with SEND moving between year groups, possible arrangements include extra classroom visits, a meeting with families and staff, and a social story with photographs to take home. These measures can make a change more familiar; they do not secure a place.
The funded options include 15 hours through mornings, afternoons or a combination of sessions across the week. Morning sessions run from 9am to noon; afternoons run from noon to 3pm. The 30-hour option runs Monday to Friday, 9am–3pm, for families meeting the additional funding criteria, and children are expected to attend the full allocation.
Additional sessions. Families without the full 30-hour funded entitlement can purchase extra sessions, subject to availability and terms and conditions. Contact the school for current charges before deciding on a pattern.
Nursery applications go directly to the school through its application form. Prospective nursery families can take school tours during the autumn term before the intended September start. The school office can be reached on 020 8657 8063.
The nursery caters for children aged 3–4 and is part of Ridgeway Primary School.
Mornings run from 9am to noon and afternoons from noon to 3pm. Eligible families can choose the 30-hour Monday-to-Friday pattern, from 9am to 3pm.
No. Reception requires a separate application through Pan London via Croydon Council, with the cut-off described as mid-January in the year of entry.
Children attending the full 30-hour pattern must bring a packed lunch every day.
Nursery families can contact the local speech and language clinic or attend Chatterbox sessions at local children’s centres. School staff can follow an individual care plan; clinic staff review the child.
