The Russell is a vibrant, innovative, and inclusive small school at the heart of our local community. Nestled in the center of Petersham, a stone’s throw from The Thames, Richmond Park, and Ham House, The Russell School boasts a spacious and green environment. Our stunning and extensive grounds provide an exceptional outdoor learning environment in an extremely busy and built-up part of London.
Our dedicated and talented team of staff is passionate about providing an engaging curriculum through a wide range of stimulating and creative learning experiences. We have high expectations for all children and believe in nurturing a child’s natural curiosity and creating in them a life-long love of learning. We provide a caring and supportive environment for our children to thrive and for our parents to feel valued as part of our school community.
Parents play a vital role in supporting our school those past and present are clear that the most important factors of life at The Russell are that we radiate a welcoming and friendly ethos, that their children love coming to school, and that they are encouraged to learn in a supportive yet challenging environment. At The Russell School, parents are actively encouraged to get involved in the education of their children, whether it is through helping with reading or joining our active Parent and Teacher Association. Our Governing Body also plays a crucial and valued role in the life of our school. However, our true strength is our children. They are the key to the success of The Russell School and make it a very special place to learn and play.
We admit 30 children into our Reception Class. Places are allocated to those children whose parents have expressed a preference for a place at The Russell School on their Common Application Form to the Local Authority. If there are more preferences expressed than places available then places will be allocated according to the Local Authority’s Primary School Admissions Policy. For entry in September 2018, we are admitting 30 children. Applications must be returned to the Local Authority by 15th January 2018. The form can be submitted online or in paper form.
We accept older children throughout the school year when there is a place available in the required year group. When a year group is oversubscribed, priority is given by the Local Authority’s Admissions Policy. All in-year applications must be made using In Year Application Form available from the London Borough of Richmond Admissions Department.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the stage of education from birth to five. At The Russell School, this includes the Nursery and Reception years. In this time children learn through a play-based curriculum where they are allowed to talk, observe, plan, question, experiment, test, repeat, reflect and respond, independently, with peers or with adults. The EYFS provides children with the skills they need to progress onto Key Stage One which includes Year One and Year Two. The staff across these stages of development work closely together to ensure our children have the best possible experience of education right from the start.
When your child starts at The Russell School, our priority is to ensure that they feel safe, secure, and happy in their new surroundings. As school becomes more familiar and your child gains confidence, they will settle into their new environment and routines very quickly and begin to have fun learning. Parents and staff must work closely together to ensure that the transition from nursery to the reception or from another school or setting is successful we are all involved in helping our children to become enthusiastic and effective learners. We will keep you informed of your child’s learning through Curriculum Information Sheets every half term. You will also be given opportunities to see their Learning Journals during the year at our regular half-termly Learning Looks. These include examples of work and photographs that the children have produced. There are three parents' evenings spread across the year, however, you can request a meeting with the class teacher at any convenient time or catch them for a chat at the end of the day. We always have time to listen. If we are concerned about your child’s behavior or progress we will request a meeting with you.
Our Nursery is part of our Foundation Stage. The Nursery has its classroom and an outdoor area which they share with Reception Class. Children can join the Nursery from September after they are three years old and will go to Reception Class the September after they turn four. They will attend a morning session which is three hours and can choose to remain in school for lunchtime and the afternoon as paid, wrap-around play sessions. We also offer some 30 free-hours places. The Nursery children are taught the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum by a team of dedicated staff including a teacher and teaching assistants. These adults will help and guide the children to take steps in their learning throughout their time in the Nursery. The Nursery is led by the Early Years Foundation Stage Leader who works closely with the Nursery staff. Children in the Nursery are included in many aspects of main school life. They take part in whole school activities such as sports day, special days, and themed weeks. They attend some assemblies and perform in a Christmas production. They are also very closely linked with our Reception Class. The children learn through play and are prepared for the next steps in their learning when they will continue their Foundation Stage development into their Reception year.
Reception is a continuation and development of the learning that has taken place at Nursery whether they attend The Russell School Nursery or another feeder Nursery. The children have their own classroom space and an outdoor area which they share with the Nursery. The class is staffed with a dedicated teacher and a teaching assistant, with a maximum of 30 children. The children will work on all of the areas of the EYFS and will be encouraged to become more independent. They will complete some slightly more structured activities than they would have encountered in the Nursery but will still gain most of their knowledge and skills through play. Children in Reception become more involved with the rest of the school and begin to attend more assemblies. They take part in a Christmas production and are more involved with themed activities and sports day. They will also have playtimes and lunchtimes with the other children in the school.
