The Elms Nursery at John Hampden Primary School

Stories, making and learning to play together give The Elms Nursery its character. This is John Hampden Primary School’s nursery provision in Park Street, Thame, with teachers and teaching assistants forming the nursery team. It sits within the school’s early years provision, rather than operating as a separate nursery setting.

Ofsted judged early years provision Good at the inspection on 29 and 30 June 2022. Children’s early learning benefited from established routines, and they cooperated in play, shared resources and took turns. For parents, that gives a concrete picture of the social skills being developed alongside classroom learning.

Early Years Foundation Stage learning combines practical exploration with language and physical development. Children investigate how materials can be shaped, joined and used for construction, then talk about what they are making. Activities include children’s own choices and experiences directed by adults. Making something is also an opportunity to ask questions and develop vocabulary.

White Rose provides the maths planning framework from Nursery onwards. The school uses objects and pictures before abstract mathematical ideas, giving children practical ways to explore concepts. Music follows XYZ Primary across the early years, adding another named strand to the curriculum.

Reading begins early. In June 2022, phonics teaching started in Nursery, and early years children listened attentively to adults reading stories. Bug Club Phonics is the school’s early years phonics programme. Its sequence revisits learning, introduces sounds and gives children opportunities to practise and use them.

Movement belongs in everyday learning too. Early years children use resources outdoors and indoors, with daily play supporting coordination and independence. The wider school grounds include a sensory garden and a wooded area with pathways, providing physical context for the school’s outdoor environment.

Curriculum consistency. In June 2022, some subjects needed clearer planning of what children should learn, with improvement required from Nursery onwards. Assessment also needed greater consistency across subjects. Families should weigh these curriculum concerns alongside the positive early years findings.

Support extends beyond the nursery teaching team. The school’s inclusion team combines a SENCo and Inclusion Lead with a Family Links Worker and an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA). Meetings take place weekly to consider children’s needs and coordinate support, giving families several routes into conversations about learning and wellbeing.

Family Links support includes school readiness, developmental concerns and parenting courses. SEND provision includes reviewing individual needs, working with parents and involving the Educational Psychology Service where needed. Parent workshops offer practical strategies for use at home and school.

Food sits within the wider school arrangements: hot meals are prepared on site, while healthy packed lunches and snacks are encouraged. This makes food part of the school’s approach to children’s physical wellbeing.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Oxfordshire County Council, which manages school admissions. Treat choosing The Elms and applying for Reception as two separate decisions: a nursery place should never be taken as confirmation of the next school place.

Nursery applications are managed by the school. For nursery enquiries, contact the office on 01844 212291 or email office.2591@john-hampden.oxon.sch.uk. The school is at Park Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3HU.