Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre, London
Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre in detail
Who goes there
51.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 56.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (32%), Mixed (21%) and White British (16%).
In 2026, 36 pupils (27.9%) received SEN support and 1 (0.8%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 24 places, 23 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Haggerston Station, about 430 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Laburnum Street, 250 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2176 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hackney (1215), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: 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 February 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Comet creates a warm, welcoming environment where children arrive excited and eager to learn. Staff know families well and provide expert support for all learners, especially those with additional needs. The school uses a creative curriculum with memorable experiences like the '5 by 5' programme, helping children develop confidence, curiosity, and strong social skills.
Key Strengths
- Highly inclusive approach with excellent support for children with SEND who achieve the best possible outcomes
- Strong focus on language and communication development through daily reading, quality conversations, and a language-rich environment
- Deep, purposeful curriculum design with eight core goals threaded through seven areas of learning
- Excellent children's behaviour supported through skilled adult co-regulation
- Children demonstrate high levels of concentration, self-control, and care for their peers
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with clear systems in place to identify children's needs and keep them safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Story construction group activities, woodwork area, visits to restaurants and museums, library borrowing programme
Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre continues to be an outstanding school where children thrive with enthusiasm and a strong sense of belonging. Staff have extremely high expectations for all children and work hard to ensure every child meets their full potential.
At a Glance
51.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: SpLD, Vision, Other +8
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Keep up with Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre is in Hackney; for families living there:
Apply to Hackney for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 150
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 29
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 150 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 29 serious and 121 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 4 on a bicycle.
34 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 Hackney is 169 (the median across 105 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 Hackney council
Places available
2,489
Applications
2,029
Got 1st preference
74.6%
Got preferred school
95.8%
All secondary applications across Hackney council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
36
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
28.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 24 places, 23 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
129
Total Pupils
81
Boys
48
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
25.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£62,358
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre
What is Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre's Ofsted rating?
Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre?
No fixed boundary. When Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre is oversubscribed, Hackney allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre?
Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre has around 129 pupils on roll. 51% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre have specialist SEN provision?
Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 24 places, 23 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre?
Apply through Hackney's coordinated admissions process, naming Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre 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 Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 150 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 29 serious and 121 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 4 on a bicycle. 34 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 Hackney is 169 (the median across 105 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre?
Comet Nursery School and Children's Centre is at 20 Halcomb Street, Hoxton, London, N1 5RF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)