Churchfield Church of England Academy Nursery

Mulberry gives Churchfield’s nursery its own class identity within a Church of England primary school in Cheshunt. It belongs to the school’s early years phase, with a nursery teaching and support team and an early years phase leader. For families, that means a named nursery class within a wider school structure.

Belonging is the school’s stated theme. The Churchfield Chums give children a way to remember its values, while the school aims to develop self-discipline and self-esteem through discussing them. This is a nursery within a Christian school, so that wider ethos forms part of the choice families are making.

Talk, stories and role play are central to the early years approach. Teachers plan vocabulary explicitly, giving children opportunities to practise language through imaginative activity. The nursery says its curriculum builds gradually on what children already know, with increasing challenge across the year.

Mulberry sits within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the school’s early years learning phase. Its learning is organised into half-term Learning Quests, with a nursery curriculum overview alongside them. These give parents a connection between classroom learning and conversations at home.

A reading corner provides a physical focus for books: each class has one. Early years classrooms also have access to Chromebooks on demand. This gives the nursery access to technology alongside its emphasis on spoken language and stories.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the early years curriculum is intended to respond to individual requirements. Teachers review the effect of additional support with the SENCo, linking adjustments to children’s learning. The school also provides families with speech and language activities, motor skills resources and support for anxiety. Parents with concerns about their child’s mental health are directed to their class teacher.

Language support extends beyond SEND. Churchfield uses EAL Star to assess English acquisition, values children’s home languages and uses visual resources to support communication. Translators and interpreters are part of its approach to involving families. This gives parents who use another language a practical way to participate.

Arbor carries school messages and lets parents update contact information. The school’s catering provider is Aspens, and school meals are ordered through Select. Dietary requests have a Special Diets Form; these are school-wide arrangements rather than a promise of a particular nursery meal pattern.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process, using Hertfordshire’s local authority admissions route and meeting the applicable deadline. Treat the nursery decision and the Reception application as separate steps.

The School Office handles enquiries by telephone on 01992 463289 or email at admin@churchfield.herts.sch.uk. A contact form offers another way to get in touch. The office aims to reply within five working days and to explain any delay.

Churchfield’s address is Cheshunt Wash, Cheshunt, EN8 0LU. Absences are reported to attendance@churchfield.herts.sch.uk, including the child’s name, class and reason. Keeping contact details current through Arbor helps the school reach the right adult with messages.