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Nursery at Hatton Special 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Communication comes first at Hatton: learning to express a choice, understand a routine and join an activity shapes its early years curriculum. The nursery belongs to a special school admitting children from age 3 with complex learning difficulties, including autism and language or social communication needs. Early years sits within the lower school, and the shared nursery and Reception curriculum carries the name Little Discoverers.
Ofsted graded early years provision Good at the inspection on 8 and 9 July 2025. That judgement covers the school's early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery.
Play and structure work together. Children choose some experiences themselves; adults lead others, using practical exploration alongside organised tasks. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is adapted into smaller learning steps. Communication, movement and emotional development sit alongside early literacy, maths, creative expression and discovering how the world works. For a child with complex needs, this makes the learning goal more manageable.
The Engagement Model adds another way to recognise development. It considers whether children explore, anticipate, persist, initiate or discover something new. Progress can therefore include engaging with an experience, rather than only completing a conventional classroom task. Individual education, health and care plan (EHCP) outcomes also shape learning.
Indoor and outdoor play provide practical experiences. Classroom resources encourage children to explore and do things for themselves, while familiar songs, stories and routines support communication and emotional understanding. Named approaches include Makaton signs and picture exchange communication. Visual schedules used through TEACCH structured teaching help make expectations understandable. Therapy balls and jumping support larger movements; threading, puzzles and peg boards develop smaller hand movements.
Early reading starts at the child's developmental level. Recognising sounds and developing communication can precede a formal reading programme. When ready, children may progress to Little Wandles phonics or See and Learn sight reading, according to their assessed needs.
Relationships are built with a class team. Across Hatton, the staffing model averages one teacher and three or four learning support assistants for eight children, with numbers varying according to need. Children work with the different adults in their class rather than having an assistant permanently assigned to them. Class teams handle personal care, and speech and language therapists and occupational therapists contribute specialist support.
Joining arrangements are individual. After a place is confirmed, staff may observe a child in their existing setting and gather information from the family. Visits to Hatton may follow, with their number shaped by the child's needs and point of entry.
Class Dojo carries learning updates and individual messages between families and staff. Termly parent evenings offer another opportunity to discuss progress. In July 2025, a small minority of parents across Hatton felt their concerns were not fully understood. Inspectors reported that the school was addressing communication by explaining routines and posting classroom updates online. Family support workshops address practical concerns including sleep, toilet training and behaviour, giving parents support beyond classroom learning.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately through the normal route and by the normal deadline; choosing the nursery should not be treated as securing the next placement.
A shared nursery and Reception curriculum is a feature of the learning organisation, not an admissions entitlement. The early years emphasis on familiar routines, communication and managing emotions prepares children for their next learning stage.
The school day runs from 8:30am to 2:30pm. These are school-day hours, rather than a nursery session booking offer. General enquiries go to the school office on 0208 551 4131 or admin@hattonspecialschool.co.uk.
Matching learning to development. The July 2025 whole-school improvement priorities concerned tasks that sometimes did not suit pupils' developmental levels and assessment that did not consistently guide subsequent teaching. These were school-wide concerns, not findings attributed specifically to nursery children. They make the fit between a child's current abilities and their next learning steps a useful focus for discussions with the class team.
Hatton serves children with complex learning difficulties, including children with autism, language needs and social communication challenges.
Little Discoverers follows an adapted EYFS curriculum, combining experiences chosen by children with adult-led learning and smaller developmental steps.
Approaches include Makaton signs, picture exchange communication and visual schedules, personalised to children's needs.
Class Dojo supports messages and learning updates. Families also have termly parent evenings and can contact the class teacher about concerns.
No. Nursery and Reception admissions are separate, and families must apply again through the normal route by the normal deadline.
