Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre, London
Rachel McMillan 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 October 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2012)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre in detail
What parents say
62 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (60%).
Who goes there
18.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 22% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 25 pupils (20.3%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Deptford, about 330 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is MacMillan Students Village, 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 945 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Greenwich (458), as is usual near a town centre.
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 October 2012, 14 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 March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Rachel McMillan provides children with an exceptional early education experience in a warm, nurturing setting. The school offers an ambitious curriculum that develops children's love of learning through carefully chosen activities both indoors and outdoors, including 53 key experiences like climbing trees, growing seeds, and roasting marshmallows. All children, including those with additional needs, receive expert support to help them thrive and achieve very well.
Key Strengths
- Highly ambitious and carefully designed curriculum that meets the needs of all children -
- Expert support for reading with children learning to tell their own stories and developing word knowledge -
- Exemplary provision for children with special educational needs, enabling them to access the full curriculum and thrive -
- Children settle quickly and behave impeccably in a calm, nurturing atmosphere -
- Strong outdoor learning environment with extensive gardens that promote exploration and curiosity
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts children's interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Football sessions, woodwork, art projects, breakfast club, after-school provision
Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre provides an exceptional start to children's education with an ambitious, carefully designed curriculum. All key areas including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management are rated Outstanding.
At a Glance
18.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
62 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 Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Ferry Terminals
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre is in Greenwich; for families living there:
Apply to Greenwich for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 130
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 25
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 130 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 25 serious and 104 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
29 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 Greenwich is 52 (the median across 108 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 Greenwich council
Places available
2,893
Applications
3,054
Got 1st preference
60.2%
Got preferred school
88.2%
All secondary applications across Greenwich 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
25
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
21.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
123
Total Pupils
64
Boys
59
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
15.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,856
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre
What is Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre's Ofsted rating?
Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2012, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre?
No fixed boundary. When Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre is oversubscribed, Greenwich allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre?
Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre has around 123 pupils on roll. 19% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre?
Apply through Greenwich's coordinated admissions process, naming Rachel McMillan 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 Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 130 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 25 serious and 104 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 29 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 Greenwich is 52 (the median across 108 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre?
Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre is at McMillan Street, Deptford, London, SE8 3EH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)