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Nursery at Cherry Lane 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
At the June 2024 inspection, a playground treasure-map activity connected stories with drawing, shared decisions and exploration with real objects. This is the nursery within Cherry Lane Primary School on Sipson Road, West Drayton. Children usually join in September after turning three, subject to space, with full-time and part-time options.
Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Requires improvement following the inspection on 26 and 27 June 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery. The practical learning examples deserve attention, but so do the weaknesses in language development and early reading.
Play provides the route into learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines learning to communicate, move and manage relationships with early reading, writing, maths, creative expression and discovering how the world works. Adults observe children and record their development, allowing individual differences to shape the learning. Foundation stage profiles hold these observations of learning through first-hand experiences.
The Cherry Lane Way emphasises practical activity, recalling earlier learning, exploring vocabulary and explaining ideas. Mathematics Mastery uses pictures, objects and words to make mathematical ideas tangible. In June 2024, early years children practised addition and subtraction with objects: a concrete starting point for understanding what numbers mean.
Pirate’s Treasure supplied another example that month. Nursery children listened to the story, drew maps of their playground and took turns arranging objects, including seashells, ahead of seaside visits. The activity connected storytelling with outdoor space and introduced materials linked to a real destination. It also gave children something specific to discuss together.
Language and reading. In June 2024, opportunities to develop children’s talk were being missed, and nursery learning was not extended sufficiently afterwards. Early years children also needed more systematic support with reading; inconsistent phonics teaching was part of the concern. These are significant considerations for families weighing the nursery’s play-based approach.
Little Link is a nursery-specific element of the school’s support for speech and language difficulties. Additional help is planned by staff, involving outside professionals where appropriate, and parents are kept informed. This gives families a route into discussing a child’s communication needs and the support being provided.
Family support also sits within the wider school team. A Family Worker can meet parents either at home or in school, providing a practical connection between family circumstances and school life.
School lunches are cooked in the school’s kitchens, with menus rotating over three weeks. The school’s meal-booking deadline is midnight on Wednesday for the following week; a packed lunch is required if a meal has not been booked. Nut products must be kept out of school because of severe allergies. These arrangements require advance planning from families using school lunches.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Parents must make a separate application through Hillingdon Borough Schools and Admissions, and the local authority allocates places using its admissions criteria. Choosing the nursery therefore requires a separate decision and application for the next stage.
For September 2026 entry, the application deadline was 15 January 2026. That was a past admissions cycle, rather than a deadline for children joining the nursery now.
Morning places run from 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoon places run from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Both part-time options are open to all families. Full-time places run from 8.30am to 3.30pm and are available to families qualifying for the government’s 30-hour childcare entitlement. Eligibility matters when comparing these patterns.
Complete the Nursery Enquiry Form to begin. The admissions officer follows up by telephone or email and adds the child to the waiting list. Successful applicants for a September start are contacted between May and July. Applications made during the year remain on the waiting list pending further contact or a vacancy.
Children usually start in September following their third birthday, depending on places being available.
Morning sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am and afternoon sessions from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Full-time places run from 8.30am to 3.30pm.
Full-time places are available to families who qualify for the government’s 30-hour childcare entitlement. Part-time places are open to all families.
No. Parents must submit a separate Reception application through Hillingdon Borough Schools and Admissions. The local authority allocates Reception places.
Complete the Nursery Enquiry Form. The admissions officer then follows up by email or telephone and places the child on the waiting list.
