Church Hill Nursery School, London
Church Hill Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in London. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, ended in a report card: 6 strong standard. Before that it was rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in July 2012.
- Ofsted report card
- 6 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Church Hill Nursery School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 30 June 2026 inspection grades Church Hill Nursery School on 6 areas: 6 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Strong standard. "Children at the school achieve very well and develop extensive knowledge and skills across the seven areas of learning."
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders set clear expectations for attendance."
Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "The schools has a high-quality, carefully designed curriculum."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "Staff assess children as early as possible."
Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the school."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Children's personal, social and emotional development is a key priority for leaders."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to refine their work to improve attendance and lower persistent absence across the school"; "Governors should ensure they continue to develop their knowledge and expertise across all areas of the school's work".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Church Hill Nursery School in its own words
The school runs after-school care until 6:00pm, from £28.50 per session.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 25% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 1 pupils (1.1%) received SEN support and 1 (1.1%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is Walthamstow Central Underground Station, about 420 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church Hill Road (E17) (->w), 220 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- AchievementStrong standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- InclusionStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Church Hill Nursery School
Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this happy and nurturing school. Parents and carers shower the school with praise. Children enter calmly and are greeted by staff who know the children and families well. Children are then immersed in a range of interesting and well-planned activities. Children can explore their own interests and staff interact with them to extend their learning. Children greatly enjoy their learning. They are confident and curious as they explore the well-designed indoor and outdoor spaces. Staff ensure all children can access the learning. Staff provide careful support and skilfully adapt learning to help children with additional needs make progress from their starting points. Staff know each child individually, so they can tailor learning to closely match their needs. Warm relationships are at the heart of this school. Children feel safe and cared for by staff. They can name a member of staff they would talk to if they have any worries or concerns. Staff successfully model the behaviours they want children to follow. Children share the space together with ease. They play and learn together harmoniously, taking turns and sharing resources and ideas. Staff encourage children to become more independent as they get older. Children learn to understand their feelings and to apologise when things go wrong. Staff make sure that bullying is not an issue at the school. Children take part in a wide range of enriching activities. Children visit the theatre, the local library and parks. They celebrate different cultures and festivals. Children watch animals hatch and develop, such as chicks and caterpillars. Leaders ensure that all children receive the support they need to take part in these activities.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should continue to refine their work to improve attendance and lower persistent absence across the school.
- Governors should ensure they continue to develop their knowledge and expertise across all areas of the school's work.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 30 June 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Church Hill Nursery School excels at creating a warm, nurturing environment where every child feels safe and cared for. Staff know each child individually and skilfully adapt learning to match their needs, ensuring all children including those with additional needs make excellent progress. The school offers a rich curriculum with high-quality interactions, beautiful outdoor spaces, and engaging enrichment activities that spark children's curiosity and love of learning.
Key Strengths
- Children achieve very well with strong focus on language development and mathematical skills
- Spacious outdoor area and activities help children develop a love of nature and excellent physical skills
- Artistic skills development is particularly effective with exposure to diverse artists and techniques
- Highly inclusive practice with early assessment and tailored support for all children including those with additional needs
- Staff receive excellent training and leaders actively work to improve the school
Areas for Improvement
- Continue to refine work to improve attendance and lower persistent absence across the school
- Governors should continue to develop their knowledge and expertise across all areas of the school's work
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre visits, local library visits, park visits, International Day cultural celebrations, observing animals hatching (chicks and caterpillars), visits to artists' installations, local bookshop visits, breakfast club, community charity fundraising, food bank donations
Church Hill Nursery School is a happy and nurturing school where children achieve very well across all areas of learning and develop extensive knowledge and skills. The school has an open culture of safeguarding, warm relationships at its heart, and provides carefully planned, high-quality education tailored to each child's needs.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Latest from Church Hill Nursery School
No Stay & Play Thursday 9th July
7 Jul 2026
No Stay & Play 2nd July
1 Jul 2026
No Stay & Play today Wednesday 24th June
24 Jun 2026
No Stay & Play Thursday 25th June
24 Jun 2026
Church Hill is still excellent, say Inspectors
11 Jun 2026
Inspectors say Low Hall is still excellent
11 Jun 2026
From Church Hill Nursery School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Church Hill Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Church Hill Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Church Hill Nursery School is in Waltham Forest; for families living there:
Apply to Waltham Forest for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 120
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 20
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 120 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 20 serious and 99 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
21 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 Waltham Forest is 66 (the median across 87 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 Waltham Forest council
Places available
3,090
Applications
2,724
Got 1st preference
79.5%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All secondary applications across Waltham Forest council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
1
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
2.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
88
Total Pupils
44
Boys
44
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
17.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£60,254
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Church Hill Nursery School
What is Church Hill Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Church Hill Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2012, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Church Hill Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Church Hill Nursery School is oversubscribed, Waltham Forest allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Church Hill Nursery School?
Church Hill Nursery School has around 88 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Church Hill Nursery School?
Apply through Waltham Forest's coordinated admissions process, naming Church Hill 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 Church Hill Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 120 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 20 serious and 99 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 21 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 Waltham Forest is 66 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Church Hill Nursery School?
Church Hill Nursery School is at Woodbury Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 9SB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)