Nursery at Hawthorns 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Play and activity shape the early years at Hawthorns, with morning, afternoon and full-day sessions giving families three ways to organise a nursery day. The provision takes children from age two until school age and operates during term time. Each session can accommodate a maximum of five two-year-olds; that limit applies to the youngest children, rather than the whole nursery.
Based at Hawthorns Primary School on Poplar Road in Durrington, the nursery welcomes applications from the surrounding area as well as Durrington itself. There is no Ofsted graded rating yet for the current school.
The Early Years Foundation Stage, or EYFS, covers development from birth to five. Here, the school aims to make play and active learning the means through which children develop skills, with activities planned around individual needs and time to practise before moving forward.
The seven learning areas bring together language, relationships and physical development with early literacy, maths, understanding the world and creative expression. In practical terms, children have opportunities to communicate with others, explore words and sounds, and investigate numbers, shapes and patterns through problems and activities. Creative expression includes imaginative play, dance, music and art. This gives learning several forms beyond work recorded on paper.
Physical development combines activities directed by adults with provision children choose themselves, supporting both larger movements and fine hand control. A separate outdoor space serves the EYFS children, giving outdoor learning its own place alongside indoor activity.
Adults observe children during play and focused learning, recording development in Tapestry, the online learning journal. Mark-making work has its own journal too. These records give parents concrete examples to discuss at termly Next steps meetings, where the conversation covers progress across the learning areas and what to work on next.
Settling begins before the first booked session. After a place is allocated, families are invited to settling visits and a home visit is arranged before the child starts. That gives children an introduction to nursery and staff an opportunity to meet the family beforehand.
A nursery manager discusses session availability with parents. Families seeking support for special educational needs or disabilities can contact the school office to speak with the nursery team or arrange a meeting. This provides a direct starting point for discussing a child's needs.
The EYFS provision participates in the free fruit and vegetable scheme. Parents use Dojo or the telephone to report absence or a delay in collection, keeping staff informed about changes to the child's expected day.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and gives no admissions priority. Families must make a separate application through West Sussex County Council's online admissions process by its published deadline. Treat this as a separate task, even when your child already attends nursery.
Transition support has a different purpose. Before children with SEND join Reception, information is gathered from their parents and preschool or nursery, and families can meet Reception staff and the SENDCo. Sharing those needs helps staff prepare for the move; it does not change admission entitlement.
Sessions run from 9am to noon, noon to 3pm, or 9am to 3pm. Early drop-off runs from 8.30am to 9am, with late pickup from 3pm to 3.30pm. Core funded hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Early drop-off, late collection and additional sessions arranged individually attract charges; ask the nursery for current charges.
Both fee-paying children and children with funding entitlement between ages two and four are accepted. Apply using the nursery waiting-list form, available from the nursery or school office. The manager contacts families termly to discuss availability and the sessions required. Scheduled sessions remain payable even if the child does not attend, so the booking pattern matters when planning family routines. Nursery enquiries can be emailed to nursery@hawthorns.school.
Children can attend from age two until school age. A maximum of five two-year-olds can attend each session.
Yes. A 9am to 3pm session is offered, alongside morning and afternoon sessions, subject to availability.
No. It gives no admissions priority. A separate application must be made through West Sussex County Council's normal admissions process.
Once a place is allocated, families are invited to settling visits and a home visit is arranged before the child starts.
Call the school office to speak with the nursery team or arrange a meeting about your child's needs.
