St Catherine's RC School Nursery Review

Storybooks shape the learning, and children’s interests help set the pace at St Catherine’s nursery. Provision for two-year-olds and three-year-olds sits within the Catholic primary school on Vale Drive in Barnet. Families of any faith, or none, can apply. That gives parents a Catholic setting to consider alongside a play-based approach to early learning.

Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 22 and 23 June 2022. This judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together language, relationships and physical development with early reading, number, creative work and discovering how the world works. Here, learning combines activities children choose with experiences adults organise. Staff join play to demonstrate skills and help children take their ideas further.

In The Moment Planning is the named approach. Adults respond to children’s play, using it to introduce challenge and support. Core books provide another thread: a book’s focus can continue according to children’s interests rather than ending after a fixed interval. Stories and factual books have related activities and resources, connecting reading with things children can explore and do.

Making is practical. Early years design activities include sticking, cutting and building with everyday materials, giving children practice with hand control and different textures. Play takes place inside and outside. The nursery’s outdoor play area has a canopy and play equipment, while replacement windows are another improvement to its learning space.

Catholic life reaches the nursery, too. In September 2025, Pupil Chaplains led nursery collective worship using the Gospel to discuss sharing. Faith therefore has a concrete place in children’s experiences.

Language development. In June 2022, children were confident conversationalists with adults and one another, supported by opportunities to explore and discuss their play. However, staff had not consistently pinpointed the vocabulary children needed across subjects. This left gaps affecting later learning. Leaders had made vocabulary planning a priority, a useful distinction between encouraging conversation and deliberately teaching new words.

Relationships offer reassurance. The June 2022 early years findings describe staff forming close connections quickly, helping children feel happy and secure. For a young child beginning nursery, that familiarity matters alongside the activities themselves.

Support has a clear contact route: the school’s Inclusion Lead and SENCo can be reached through the office. The school describes staff working together and with families on SEND support, giving parents a route into discussions about their child’s needs.

Lunchtime provision bridges the two nursery sessions. Across the school, lunches are prepared on site, and children can have a school meal or bring a packed lunch. These arrangements give families a choice of food provision; nursery lunchtime sits outside funded hours.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. For September 2027 entry, the school gives an on-time deadline of 15 January 2027. Treat that application as a separate task when planning your child’s next step.

Morning sessions run from 8:30am to 11:30am, with afternoons from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Lunch provision runs between 11:30am and 12:30pm. Nursery operates during term time, following the school calendar; wraparound care can extend the day from 7:50am to 6:00pm.

Three-year-olds have a 15-hour funded entitlement, with eligibility for 30 hours checked through the local authority. For two-year-olds, funding depends on eligibility through working-family support or additional-government-benefit support. Private places are also offered. Lunchtimes are excluded from funded hours; ask the school for current charges.

A personal nursery tour starts the enquiry process. Call 0208 440 4946 to arrange one with the Early Years Leader. Registration then requires an application with the child’s birth date, preferred starting date and requested days; availability is reviewed as children leave or change rooms. Nursery uniform comprises a logoed sky polo shirt, navy sweatshirt and navy legionnaire’s cap.