School history
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.
Our building in Endlesham Road was bought by public subscription and amongst those who made donations were the late Queen Mary, the then Major and Mrs Clement Attlee and Lady Megan Lloyd George.
The school was officially opened on the 23rd May 1935 by Lady Astor, the first woman to become an MP.
The school today
Today, like other schools in Wandsworth, Balham Nursery School (BNS) is funded by the Wandsworth Borough Council.
We are recognised by the Department for Education (DfE) and as such it is staffed by qualified teachers and nursery nurses and supported by ancillary staff.
On 1 April 2021, BNS joined with Eastwood Nursery School in Roehampton to form The Wandsworth Federation of Maintained Nursery Schools. In April 2022, Somerset Nursery School in Battersea joined the Federation.
Parents are represented on the Federation Governing Body.
Inspections
The school is also open to inspection by OFSTED and the Local Authority, which helps to ensure that all the children receive the highest standard of education.
We were delighted that the school OFSTED inspection (9th January 2018) gave the school an Outstanding grading, our fourth successive ‘Outstanding’. A short inspection in June 2023 made some recommendations which are helpful next steps for our development plan.
On the 20th January 2015 we had our Early Years Provider inspection (focussing on our 2 year old cohort) and were delighted to receive another ‘Outstanding’ grading.
Copies of the reports can be found on the OFSTED tab above, the official OFSTED website online or obtained from the school office.
Parent Staff Friends Association
We have a flourishing Parent Staff Friends Association (PSFA) and all our parents are automatically members. The PSFA arranges events throughout the year, notably our Christmas Fundraising Evening and Summer Fair. Fundraising helps cover extras such as trips, playground equipment, new books for the library and other items to support children’s learning and this contribution is greatly valued by the school.
We hope that both you and your child will enjoy coming to Balham Nursery and that it is a positive and rewarding experience for you and your family.
