Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Church: Nursery Review

Three-hour sessions give Sacred Heart’s nursery a clear morning or afternoon shape. This is the nursery within Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Church, on Bradshaw Row in Accrington, with a Catholic school context and an emphasis on children’s language, social development and independence.

In February 2025, Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoon sessions run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Those defined blocks give families concrete start and finish points around which to plan the day.

In February 2025, children’s early learning followed a curriculum designed carefully around their development. Activities built understanding alongside language and communication. For parents, the emphasis is on how children express themselves and develop what they know, rather than simply on keeping them occupied through a session.

Physical development and social skills also had space in children’s learning. Children enjoyed opportunities to develop both, giving the early years experience a broader purpose than preparation for formal lessons alone. Independence was another explicit focus: adults helped children become more able to do things for themselves.

Care and growing independence worked together in February 2025. Staff looked after children well while helping them develop greater self-reliance. That combination matters for a child beginning to manage more of their day away from home: support and increasing independence are part of the same experience.

For special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the school’s process involves parents in discussions about concerns over educational or social progress. A detailed assessment can follow with parental consent, and families are consulted through the stages of deciding how needs should be met.

Targeted Learning Plans provide a specific mechanism for support where a specialist teacher has advised learning targets and strategies. The plans set progression targets, with regular reviews involving parents. This gives families defined goals to discuss and revisit, rather than leaving support as a general intention. The SEND coordinator can be contacted at SENDCO@sacredheart-church.lancs.sch.uk.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route by the normal deadline.

For the 2020/2021 admissions cycle, nursery attendance gave neither a guarantee nor priority for Reception. That distinction matters when choosing the nursery: a child’s experience here and the allocation of a school place are separate questions. Treat the Reception application as its own task, even when your child already attends nursery.

The morning and afternoon session times are nursery-specific, so use those hours when planning childcare and collection. School visits can be arranged by telephone or email, allowing families to see the learning environment before making their choice.

For enquiries or to arrange a visit, call 01254 233382 or email bursar@sacredheart-church.lancs.sch.uk. The address is Bradshaw Row, Church, Accrington, BB5 4HG.