Scott Primary School Nursery

Play, early number work and the beginnings of phonics share the nursery day at Scott Primary School. For children aged three and above, learning combines growing independence with the first steps towards reading and understanding numbers. Caterpillars, Butterflies and Ladybirds are the nursery groups named here.

This is the school's own nursery in Brickhill, Bedford. The wider school grounds cover nearly 30 acres, including eight acres of woodland: a substantial physical setting for the school, rather than a measure of the nursery's own outdoor provision.

Play and familiar routines provide the framework for learning. Early phonics and number skills are incorporated into everyday activities, alongside creative learning, movement and communication. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum also covers children's personal, emotional and social development. For parents, that means the learning programme extends beyond letters and numbers to how children express themselves, relate to others and become more independent.

Reading begins in Nursery, with books forming an early part of the curriculum. New vocabulary is planned from this stage too, giving children words with which to understand and discuss new ideas.

At the June 2024 inspection, Ofsted described early years children as happy, settled and absorbed in learning, with a peaceful environment and plentiful resources. These findings give parents a dated picture of children engaging with their surroundings. The nursery curriculum also prepared most children to begin phonics in Reception.

For a child starting with identified special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), settling can be adapted to their circumstances. The school's SEND arrangements include an initial visit with parents, and a Team Around the Family meeting where other professionals are involved. A home visit or contact with the child's existing provision may follow. These steps bring information about the child into planning before they start.

Support has a defined review process. Under the October 2025 SEN policy, children at SEN Support have a Pupil Passport with three individual targets, reviewed at least three times each year, with parents' views recorded. This gives families specific goals to discuss rather than relying only on a general progress update. Concerns can first be raised with the class teacher; the SENDCO coordinates further support.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal local authority process and meet its deadline. The September 2027 admission arrangements direct families to Bedford Borough School Admissions. Their oversubscription criteria give no priority for nursery attendance, so familiarity with Scott does not change that allocation process.

Transition support is a separate matter. For children with SEND moving between classes, information and support plans are shared with the next teacher. Depending on the child's needs, classroom visits and a photograph book of the new staff and room can help make the change more familiar.

The nursery starts at 8.45am, with gates opening at 8.35am. Usual collection is at 3.20pm Monday to Thursday and 1pm Friday. On the last day of each term, all children finish after lunch, with collection at 1.00–1.10pm. Friday afternoon childcare is offered for working parents, with both parents required to be working in a two-parent household; parents should check Parentmail for booking details. That shorter Friday needs to be part of a family's childcare planning.

Children are taken to and collected from the nursery door. Nursery clothing includes a yellow polo shirt and burgundy sweatshirt or cardigan, with leggings or jogging bottoms and sensible footwear. Items should be named. General enquiries go to office@scottprimary.co.uk or 01234 352630.