NCEA Bishop's Primary School Nursery Review

Storytelling, outdoor discovery and learning to manage feelings give Bishop’s nursery its character. This is early education built around language and relationships, with provision across the Josephine Butler and Robert Stephenson Campuses in Ashington.

Nursery serves children aged three and four, normally starting in the term following their third birthday. A separate provision for two-year-olds operates at Robert Stephenson. The Early Years Centre accommodates up to 20 children per morning or afternoon session; that figure describes the centre’s sessions, rather than the total nursery capacity across both campuses.

Ofsted judged early years provision Good at the inspection on 18 and 19 October 2022. Children in early years settled into routines promptly and formed close connections with adults and other children. Those are useful findings for parents considering a first experience of education away from home.

Books supply the starting point for learning. Children hear stories daily, explore factual books and practise language through invented stories, role play, poetry and rhymes. Adults introduce vocabulary and demonstrate how to ask questions and build sentences. Talking is part of the activity, rather than something saved for a separate lesson.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines seven learning areas. Emotional development, communication and physical skills provide the starting foundations; literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and creative work extend them. In practical terms, children learn to cooperate, express feelings and handle personal needs alongside exploring numbers, materials and stories.

Movement has room to develop indoors and outside, with large outdoor spaces and a Forest School included in the learning environment. Adult-guided activities sit alongside opportunities to explore through play. Mathematical learning uses games, patterns, rhymes and stories, giving children reasons to notice shapes and numbers in everyday situations.

Discovery also reaches into the local environment: children investigate seasonal changes, plants and animals, and learn about growth and life cycles. Creative activities let them experiment with materials and communicate their ideas. For children taking the extended entitlement, enrichment includes gardening, baking, Forest School sessions and craft, building on interests developed during their initial hours.

Relationships come first. Adults get to know children individually, help them make friends and teach ways to recognise and manage emotions. Familiar routines and supported attempts at unfamiliar activities are part of that approach. In October 2022, early-years children were doing well as they adapted to routines and built relationships.

A healthy snack is provided daily, with opportunities to taste different foods and talk about healthy choices. Learning to look after their bodies and become more independent with personal care is also part of the curriculum.

Tapestry connects learning at nursery with home. Children’s journals include photographs, their comments and contributions from families; parents need an email address and agreement to the photograph and assessment rules to access them. Regular meetings provide another opportunity to discuss progress. Assessment takes place three times a year, while ongoing observations help staff adjust activities.

For children with communication difficulties, focused activities involve families and outside agencies. School-wide SEND support includes a qualified coordinator, a speech and language therapist and teaching assistants. Termly reviews with the teacher and/or SEND coordinator give families a recurring opportunity to discuss progress and adapt support.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal admissions process by the applicable deadline. Bishop’s follows Northumberland County Council’s admissions procedures. Treat choosing nursery and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.

For three- and four-year-olds, the 15-hour offer uses morning sessions from 8.30am to 11.30am or afternoons from 12.15pm to 3.15pm. Eligible working families can access the 30-hour offer over 38 weeks, split across the two campuses. That campus arrangement matters when planning transport.

Nursery applications can be made online. Visits can be arranged by contacting the school; general enquiries go to 01670 844323. Refer to the school for current charges.