St Oswald's Nursery, Accrington

Mud-kitchen investigations, bird feeders and daily language groups give St Oswald's nursery a practical, playful character. Children join from age three, with morning and afternoon groups forming part of St Oswald's Roman Catholic Primary School on Hartley Avenue, Accrington. Some attend for a full day.

Catholic teaching shapes the nursery curriculum, while the school welcomes families of all faiths and cultures. Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Good at the inspection on 18 and 19 March 2025. That judgement covers early years within the school.

Play and adult-led learning work alongside each other. Continuous Provision gives children opportunities to learn through play, with maths, phonics and language groups taking place daily. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) connects that learning with children's wider development: here, outdoor exploration, talking and physical activity sit alongside early number and sound work.

Red Rose Phonics begins with listening and speaking. Nursery activities explore rhyme, sounds made by instruments and the environment, and hearing the separate sounds in words. In March 2025, children's interest in songs and stories helped their language and sound understanding develop securely. Checks on understanding were inconsistent, and teachers sometimes missed children needing extra help or practice. Some early years children had not learned correct letter formation. Early writing. Parents should ask how staff check understanding and respond to writing difficulties.

There is plenty of physical detail behind the outdoor offer. Bikes and cars sit alongside a slide, climbing frame and climbing wall; the Mud Kitchen and on-site Forest School add opportunities to explore nature. Nursery Forest School activities run throughout the year with two trained leaders. Children play outdoors in different weather, so this is a day that calls for practical clothing.

The People Who Help Us topic shows how learning takes shape. Children made feeders for birds, investigated muddy footprints and used notebooks and hats in police role-play indoors. Mark-making involved water, sticks, brushes, chalk and pencils, giving children different ways to practise movements used in drawing and writing. Weekly Purple Mash access introduces computing, while PE uses the School Hall or Astro Turf. Come and See provides the Catholic religious education programme from Nursery, with themes adapted to children's ages.

A nursery teacher and Nursery Learning Support Assistant form the teaching team. In March 2025, early years children settled promptly and became more independent and confident. That is a useful picture of settling, rather than a promise about every child's first weeks.

Class Dojo provides a direct way to message the nursery team; the school office can also pass messages on. Wider family support includes a Family Support Worker, with informal conversations or telephone calls arranged through school. For children attending Breakfast Club, breakfast and shared activities provide a start to the morning before nursery learning begins.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately through the normal admissions process and meet the deadline for their child's entry year. For September 2025 entry, applications went through Lancashire's online schools service, with a closing date of 15 January 2025. That cycle is past.

Moving On Up! home-learning activities focus on September transitions. They provide a way to talk about change with a child; they do not secure admission.

The two nursery sessions run Monday to Friday: 8.45–11.45am and 12.15–3.15pm. Families can choose a preferred session, and children also attend all day. The nursery offers 15 hours of free education each week; 30 hours depends on eligibility.

Breakfast Club opens at 7:50am in the school hall and requires no booking. Breakfast is served until 8.25am. This extends the morning for families needing an earlier start. For after-school care, the nursery shares contact details for local childminders. Contact the school for current charges.

Bring wellies and a hooded coat with sleeves for outdoor play; waterproofs are supplied. To arrange a visit or make an enquiry, call 01254 234924 or email c.lee@st-oswaldsrc.lancs.sch.uk.