Snape Community Primary School Nursery Review

Teacher-led provision for three-year-olds gives Snape's nursery its school-based character. Children attend the Snape site; the school shares a federation with Thornton Watlass CE Primary School. This is an introduction to school life through early learning, with morning and afternoon sessions providing two distinct parts to the nursery day.

Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Good at the inspection on 7 and 8 March 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Play gives mathematics a practical purpose here. In March 2023, children practised measuring in the construction area and paying for pretend purchases in the role-play area. These are useful examples of how early number learning becomes something children can do, rather than simply repeat. Building and pretend shopping give mathematical ideas a recognisable context.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines learning to communicate, move and manage relationships with early literacy, mathematics, creative expression and exploring the world. For parents, that means the curriculum extends beyond letters and numbers: physical development, conversation and emotional development are also part of children's learning.

Numberblocks shapes the approach to number. A number is connected with other mathematical ideas, including shape, money and time, so children encounter links between concepts. Little Wandle Letters and Sounds provides the approach to phonics and early reading, while Development Matters guides curriculum planning. These named approaches give the nursery's teaching a defined structure.

In March 2023, the early years curriculum reflected children's existing experiences and the schools' context. Children also played together cooperatively. The combination matters: learning builds from what children already know, while shared play provides opportunities to practise working with others.

Knowing individual children was a clear feature of the nursery's teaching in March 2023. Adults working with the mixed Nursery, Reception and Year 1 group understood what each child needed to learn next. For a young child, that individual knowledge helps connect everyday activities with their next steps.

Across the federation, children receiving SEND provision have an Individual SEN Support Plan. A Plan, Do, Review cycle revisits progress six times each academic year, twice per term. Parents and carers contribute to monitoring, alongside staff and outside agencies where appropriate. This gives families repeated opportunities to contribute to support.

Additional input can be sought from Speech & Language therapists, the Specialist Teaching Team and Learning Support Service. The federation's SEND coordinator can be contacted at sendco@stw.n-yorks.sch.uk, providing a direct route for discussing a child's needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. North Yorkshire manages school admissions, with applications made through the council's online School Admissions form. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.

The morning session runs from 8:45am to 11:45am. Lunch follows from 11:45am to 12:20pm, before the afternoon session from 12:20pm to 3:20pm. Those distinct times matter when planning collection around work or other children's routines.

Families can arrange a visit to meet the team through the school office. Call 01677 470380 or email admin@stw.n-yorks.sch.uk to book an appointment and see the provision before making a decision.