Oliver Thomas Nursery School, London
Oliver Thomas Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 4 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Oliver Thomas Nursery School in detail
Oliver Thomas Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "A special thank you to the children and families of Oliver Thomas Nursery School featured in this film. A special thank you to the children and families of Oliver Thomas Nursery School featured in this film."
From the headteacher's welcome: "We look forward to working in partnership with you, supporting your child with their learning and development. Our wonderful garden and team of early years experts will provide excellent learning and play experiences for your child during their time at Oliver Thomas Nursery School” “Play is the highest level of child development."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 82.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (45%), Mixed (19%) and Black (12%).
In 2026, 51 pupils (35.9%) received SEN support and 1 (0.7%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Oliver Thomas Nursery School has a resourced provision for profound and multiple learning difficulties: 3 places, 3 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is East Ham Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Flanders Road (->n), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Oliver Thomas Nursery School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Oliver Thomas is an outstanding nursery where children arrive excited and eager to learn. Staff know every child exceptionally well and have very high expectations, helping all children - especially those with additional needs - reach their full potential. The school offers rich, real-world learning experiences like woodwork, animal care, and outdoor exploration, while parents are fully involved in their child's learning journey.
Key Strengths
- Excellent support for children with SEND, with carefully planned next steps tailored to each child's needs
- Highly ambitious curriculum built around 20 agreed experiences, including woodwork, growing plants, and caring for animals
- Expert development of children's language and early mathematics skills through hands-on, purposeful learning
- Strong partnerships with parents, providing them with book packs and resources to support learning at home
- Exceptional behaviour across the school, with children managing their feelings maturely and developing a strong sense of right and wrong
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating a positive culture that puts children's interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Woodwork, growing plants, butterfly observation, animal care, outdoor exploration, community day with farm animals
Oliver Thomas Nursery School is an outstanding nursery for children aged 2-4 that has significantly improved from its previous Good rating. Staff have exceptionally high expectations for all children and provide rich, ambitious learning opportunities.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Latest from Oliver Thomas Nursery School
Oliver Thomas Newsletter Spring 2026
1 Jun 2026
Welcome and Farewell
26 Feb 2026
Oliver Thomas Newsletter Autumn 2025
18 Nov 2025
You can register your newborn!
12 Nov 2025
A senior leader will show you around
12 Nov 2025
Call now for a tour
12 Nov 2025
From Oliver Thomas Nursery School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Oliver Thomas Nursery School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Oliver Thomas Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Oliver Thomas Nursery School is in Newham; for families living there:
Apply to Newham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 13 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
3 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 Newham is 110 (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 Newham council
Places available
4,792
Applications
3,682
Got 1st preference
74.5%
Got preferred school
97.5%
All secondary applications across Newham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
51
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
36.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Oliver Thomas Nursery School has a resourced provision for profound and multiple learning difficulties: 3 places, 3 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
142
Total Pupils
77
Boys
65
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
23.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£67,237
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Oliver Thomas Nursery School
What is Oliver Thomas Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Oliver Thomas Nursery School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2013 it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Oliver Thomas Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Oliver Thomas Nursery School is oversubscribed, Newham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Oliver Thomas Nursery School?
Oliver Thomas Nursery School has around 142 pupils on roll.
Does Oliver Thomas Nursery School have specialist SEN provision?
Oliver Thomas Nursery School has a resourced provision for profound and multiple learning difficulties: 3 places, 3 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Oliver Thomas Nursery School?
Apply through Newham's coordinated admissions process, naming Oliver Thomas 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 Oliver Thomas Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 13 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 3 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 Newham is 110 (the median across 113 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Oliver Thomas Nursery School?
Oliver Thomas Nursery School is at Mathews Avenue, East Ham, London, E6 6BU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)