Balham Nursery School, London
Balham Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Balham Nursery School in detail
Balham Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "To those who are new to the area or know little about the school, Balham is the oldest of the three state nursery schools in Wandsworth. The school was set up just over 80 years ago by members of the local community and others dedicated to the principles of nursery education."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
What parents say
22 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Balham Nursery School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
35.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 35.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Mixed (25%), Black (21%) and Asian (17%).
In 2026, 10 pupils (20.8%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is Balham Underground Station, about 290 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hildreth Street Market, 240 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Balham Nursery School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Balham Nursery School creates a warm, nurturing environment where children thrive socially and emotionally. Staff work skilfully to support each child's learning, with particularly strong focus on developing respect, empathy and confidence. The school also offers enriching experiences like nature walks and library visits that broaden children's horizons and foster curiosity.
Key Strengths
- Exemplary children's behaviour - kind, considerate and respectful towards one another
- Outstanding personal development with strong sense of respect, empathy and responsibility
- Well-structured, ambitious curriculum that helps children build knowledge step by step
- Effective support for children with SEND working closely with families and specialists
- Rich learning environment with careful use of questions to check understanding
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching in communication, language and early mathematics is not consistently purposeful enough to deepen children's vocabulary and thinking
- Activities and questions are not always clearly adapted for younger and older children, affecting progress
- In some curriculum areas, essential knowledge that children need to build on is not identified well enough
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective with staff ensuring children feel safe, trusted and listened to.
Extracurricular Activities
Nature walks, visits to local parks, visits to local library
Children flourish at Balham Nursery School where they feel safe, happy and well cared for in a strong community. The school has high expectations of all children and ensures staff skillfully support their learning and personal development.
At a Glance
35.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
22 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Keep up with Balham Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Balham Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Balham Nursery School is in Wandsworth; for families living there:
Apply to Wandsworth for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 234
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 33
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 234 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 33 serious and 200 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
39 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Wandsworth is 99 (the median across 113 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Wandsworth council
Places available
2,095
Applications
2,164
Got 1st preference
60.4%
Got preferred school
90.2%
All secondary applications across Wandsworth council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
20.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
48
Total Pupils
22
Boys
26
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
3
Teachers
16.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£66,518
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Balham Nursery School
What is Balham Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Balham Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Balham Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Balham Nursery School is oversubscribed, Wandsworth allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Balham Nursery School?
Balham Nursery School has around 48 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Balham Nursery School?
Apply through Wandsworth's coordinated admissions process, naming Balham Nursery School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Balham Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 234 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 33 serious and 200 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 39 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Wandsworth is 99 (the median across 113 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Balham Nursery School?
Balham Nursery School is at 72 Endlesham Road, Balham, London, SW12 8JL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)