Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School: Nursery Review

Morning nursery and a shared early years classroom give Blackwell’s youngest children a school-based start. The nursery at Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School, on Primrose Hill, takes children from age three and shares its space with Reception as an Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) unit. Familiar surroundings are part of the arrangement from the beginning.

Ofsted’s January 2026 report judged early years to meet the expected standard. That judgement covers the early years provision together, rather than giving the nursery a separate grade. Communication was a focus: adults had additional language training, and many children could express their needs and hold conversations confidently.

Dough Disco starts the day with playdough movements for both nursery and older Foundation Stage children. Rolling, squeezing and shaping exercise the small muscles needed for writing. It is a concrete introduction to learning through doing. Read Write Inc Phonics also forms part of the Foundation Stage teaching approach.

The EYFS curriculum brings together early learning and children’s development. Here, half-termly learning challenges organise that work, with planning adjusted around children’s interests and current events. Early years children practise counting in both directions and take part in games with sounds. During January 2026, adults demonstrated vocabulary and corrected language mistakes gently, helping children build the words to join in and explain themselves.

The mixed Foundation Stage class uses practical activities and connects learning with children’s experiences. Beyond its shared classroom, the wider school grounds include growing beds and a sensory garden, plus a pond and wildlife watching den. These are tangible features of the school’s outdoor learning setting.

Settling begins with learning routines. In the first weeks, staff assess children’s starting points while spending time on expectations and helping them feel comfortable enough to learn. The January 2026 early years findings describe attentive care and support for children facing extra barriers, alongside planning for emotional and social development.

Parents usually receive learning observations by email at the end of the week. Photographs and notes show what children have been doing, and parents can add achievements from home. EvidenceMe electronic profiles form part of Foundation Stage assessment, giving families a way to contribute to the picture of their child’s development.

For additional needs, the school uses individual Passports to record targets agreed with parents and the SENCO. Its support spaces include separate rooms for activities needing less noise or visual stimulation. Meals across the school are cooked on site in a purpose-built kitchen by Derbyshire County Council Catering Services. Vegetarian choices feature in the four-week menu cycle; dietary requirements should be shared with the office or class teacher.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Derbyshire County Council, the school’s admissions authority. The admissions page gives an end-of-October deadline and also instructs parents to meet the date on their application form.

Sharing the early years classroom means nursery children already know the physical setting used by Reception. That familiarity is separate from allocation of a school place and should not be treated as an admissions advantage.

The nursery operates in the mornings. Its application route is direct: contact the school and complete a nursery application form. The school describes up to 15 funded hours each week from the term after a child’s third birthday.

For enquiries, call 01773 811281 or email info@blackwell.derbyshire.sch.uk. Office hours run from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. The school encourages prospective parents to visit, with an opportunity to speak to the SENCO or a senior leader, making this a useful route for discussing a child’s support needs before joining.