London Colney Primary & Nursery School: Nursery Review

A purpose-built outdoor area and the option of lunch between sessions give London Colney’s nursery its practical character. Provision is for children aged 3–4, with capacity for up to 60 pupils across the day. That is a daily capacity, rather than a single-session class size.

The nursery belongs to London Colney Primary & Nursery School on Alexander Road. Children can start in the term following their third birthday, making the starting point depend on both age and the school calendar.

Morning Nursery runs from 8.45am to 11.45am; Afternoon Nursery follows from 12.15pm to 3.15pm. Each offers a defined session, while Lunch Club provides an additional option for children staying to eat. Families therefore have a choice of morning or afternoon provision, alongside a separate lunchtime arrangement.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the nursery’s curriculum framework. Here, its foundations include developing communication, language and the skills children will use in later learning. In March 2023, Ofsted found that early-years children became familiar with school routines promptly, with communication receiving attention from the start. Early reading begins in Nursery through recognising sounds. This gives children an initial step towards reading before moving on to more advanced work.

Outdoor learning has a dedicated physical space: the nursery has its own purpose-built outdoor area. Inside, provision sits within the school’s early-years setting. Together, these give learning an indoor and outdoor base.

Preparation starts before the first session. Once a place is allocated, families receive a welcome pack and an Early Years team member arranges a home visit. This creates an opportunity for contact with the team before nursery begins, rather than leaving introductions until the first day.

Leadership of early years and nursery teaching are combined in one role. For parents, that connects responsibility for the early-years provision with the nursery classroom itself.

Lunch Club includes a meal prepared fresh and carries a separate charge when used. It runs from 11.45am until 1.15pm, so families choosing lunchtime care have an eating arrangement alongside the nursery sessions. Ask the school for current charges.

Reception admission is separate. Attending this nursery does not guarantee a Reception place at London Colney. Families must make another application through the normal primary admissions process and meet its normal deadline.

The application route is Hertfordshire County Council’s online admissions service. Treat the nursery decision and the Reception application as separate tasks: accepting a nursery place does not complete the later application.

Flexibility is offered in how the 15-hour entitlement is used, and the nursery also accepts children whose parents receive 30-hour funding. These funding arrangements sit alongside the morning and afternoon sessions; Lunch Club is a charged extra that includes food.

Visits can be booked by appointment. Contact the school office on 01727 823 283 or email admin@londoncolney.herts.sch.uk to enquire. A visit offers a chance to see the nursery’s outdoor area and early-years setting before choosing a place.

For nursery enrolment, return the Enrolment Form to the office together with a copy of the child’s birth certificate. After allocation, the welcome pack and home visit form the next steps towards starting.