Ludwick Nursery School: nursery life and next steps

A private garden for Treetops, a log cabin linking Oak and Acorn, and a sensory room give Ludwick's nursery provision a distinct physical character. Younger children have their own base; older children have two classrooms connected through the cabin. That gives families a concrete picture of where play and learning happen.

On Holwell Road in Welwyn Garden City, Ludwick is a maintained nursery school. Treetops serves children aged 2–3, while the nursery rooms cater for ages 3–4. Children can join from the term following their second birthday. The provision therefore spans the move from early nursery experiences towards starting primary school.

Communication runs through the learning. In February 2023, children developed vocabulary through planned activities, with adults using different ways of communicating for children who were not yet speaking. Mathematics appeared in stick patterns, rhymes and songs. Learning was woven into things children could make, hear and handle.

Books invite repeated exploration. Children returned to favourite stories, created books of their own and drew story maps; they also practised recognising and writing their names and connecting letters with sounds. Binoculars for watching birds and boat-making in the woodwork area brought observation and practical construction into the day. These February 2023 examples show the connection between choosing an activity and developing a skill.

Outdoor exploration has an identifiable place in each age group's provision. Treetops has a garden of its own and access to a sensory room, while Oak and Acorn connect through the log cabin. Daily family-group time concentrates on social and emotional development. Visits to parks, shops and the local library extend learning beyond the nursery, alongside walks focused on road safety.

Each child has a key worker. Before starting, families can visit together and meet that adult, who also offers a home visit. Stay-and-play sessions introduce the setting with a parent present, followed by a flexible build-up to full sessions agreed with the key worker. Settling is paced around the child.

Daily conversations with key adults sit alongside Class Dojo updates. A focus week each term leads to a meeting about development and the next steps, giving parents both everyday contact and a scheduled opportunity for fuller discussion. The staffing team includes six members with Qualified Teacher Status; 11 have Early Years Professional status and NVQ level 3.

Yellow Group supports up to ten children with social communication needs. Its base, The Hive, provides a separate start and finish, with children joining the main provision during the intervening session. Regular cooking, snack time and sensory circuits feature in this group's routine. Access depends on individual needs and discussion with families and leadership. In February 2023, children with SEND developed communication through signing and symbols, and safeguarding arrangements were effective.

Attending Ludwick does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Choosing nursery provision and obtaining a primary-school place are separate decisions.

Preparation for the next setting has its own process. Staff use the Hertfordshire Transition Level of Need toolkit to share information that helps receiving settings plan support. For children with SEND, preparation may include extra visits, a personal transition book or familiar resources. Meetings involving parents and staff from both settings can be arranged where needed. This supports continuity of care and learning; it does not secure admission.

Term-time sessions run Monday to Friday. Morning places operate from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoons run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. For ages 3–4, the 15-hour pattern uses either session, while the 30-hour day runs from 8:45am to 2:45pm. An additional paid 45 minutes extends collection to 3:30pm and requires advance booking and payment.

Funding options include universal 15 hours for ages 3–4, extended 30 hours for working families, and two-year-old funding for supported and working parents. Eligibility applies to the relevant scheme. Squirrels day nursery shares the site and works with Ludwick for families needing longer hours or care outside term time. Contact the office at admin@ludwick.herts.sch.uk or 01707 323693 to enquire or arrange a visit; obtain current charges from the school.