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Nursery at Kings Oak Primary
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A core story revisited through the week, poems to recite and daily time to talk give Kings Oak’s nursery a clear emphasis on language. This is Foundation Stage 1, the school’s nursery provision in Wombwell, Barnsley. Children become eligible from the term after their third birthday. The school aims to combine practical experiences with play, using children’s interests and parents’ knowledge to shape learning.
Adult teaching and learning through play both have a place in the session. Carpet sessions introduce ideas; activities and resources then give children opportunities to practise them. Adults demonstrate how to use learning areas and extend children’s thinking through shared discussion. Assessment helps staff decide which skills need further attention and adjust the opportunities children encounter.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), supported by Development Matters, provides the curriculum’s starting point. In parent terms, this means attention to talking, relationships and physical development alongside early reading, maths, creativity and understanding the world. The school values outdoor learning as a way for children to explore problems and develop their thinking, rather than treating learning as something confined to adult-led sessions.
Language practice extends beyond story time. Snack-time conversation, Talk for writing and the Poetry basket give children different reasons to speak, listen and remember words. A weekly core story is revisited, allowing children to become familiar with its vocabulary and events. Daily stories and weekly parent reading mornings add further opportunities to share books.
Early phonics begins with phase 1 skills. Once children are secure in those aspects, Read Write Inc introduces the letters in their own names. That gives the first letter learning a personal connection. Maths uses Master the Curriculum for direct teaching, followed by activities that revisit the concepts. Self-registration, the date and counting days at school also become opportunities to explore number. Children are encouraged to explain their reasoning, with sentence structures helping them put mathematical ideas into words.
Teachers work alongside support staff, while the school’s SEND leadership includes a coordinator responsible for Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Parents with concerns can begin with their child’s teacher or arrange a SEND appointment through reception on 01226 272740. This gives families a clear route into discussing additional needs.
Support follows a graduated approach: changes to classroom teaching can be followed by targeted small-group work, with progress monitored and parents kept informed. Where further professional involvement is needed, the school seeks parental agreement. Visual timetables are used across classrooms, and Makaton signs and visual cues support communication in classroom and shared spaces.
Thrive is the school’s approach to assessing and supporting emotional and social development. Children needing additional help may work with a practitioner individually or in a small group; parents are invited to discuss that work and support it at home. Foundation Stage families communicate with teachers through Tapestry, providing a direct channel between home and the teaching team.
Nursery attendance gives neither priority nor a guaranteed Reception place at Kings Oak. Families must make a separate Reception application through Barnsley Council’s normal admissions process by the normal deadline. Applications can be made online, with assistance from the Admissions Team on 01226 773677. The local authority decides allocations, so choosing the nursery and obtaining a Reception place remain separate decisions.
The standard 15-hour entitlement takes the form of five morning or five afternoon sessions, Monday to Friday during term time. Mornings run from 8:30am to 11:30am; afternoons from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. These fixed patterns give families a clear weekly timetable.
For eligible working families, the core 30-hour offer runs Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 3:15pm, during term time, including a 45-minute lunch club. Places on this funded pattern are limited. Enquiries go to office@kingsoakplc.org.uk.
Nursery applications can be submitted online from the term after a child’s second birthday, after which the child joins the waiting list. Eligibility to attend begins later, from the term after the third birthday. The Admissions Team can help families who have difficulty applying online.
Children are eligible from the term following their third birthday. Applications can be submitted from the term following their second birthday and place the child on the waiting list.
Morning sessions run from 8:30am to 11:30am and afternoon sessions from 12:15pm to 3:15pm, Monday to Friday during term time.
Yes, for eligible working families, with a limited number of places. The core offer runs from 8:30am to 3:15pm, Monday to Friday during term time, including a 45-minute lunch club. Email office@kingsoakplc.org.uk for enquiries.
No. It gives neither preferential treatment nor an automatic place. Families must apply separately through Barnsley Council’s normal Reception admissions process.
Speak to your child’s teacher or call school reception on 01226 272740 to arrange an appointment with a SEND coordinator.
