Glory Farm Primary School Nursery

Painting, making and party games give Glory Farm’s nursery a practical, playful character. Children have made seasonal crafts, decorated biscuits and taken part in a nursery Fun Day: concrete examples of activities beyond early reading and number work.

This is Glory Farm Primary School’s own nursery in Bicester. Children become eligible in the term following their third birthday, so the starting point depends on both age and the school calendar.

Early reading begins in nursery. In March 2023, Ofsted found that phonics teaching started there and that staff across the school received training in the approach. For a young child, this means an introduction to the sounds used in reading, with a shared approach among staff.

Mathematics also forms part of the early years provision. In March 2023, children were developing mathematical language from the outset, giving them words to use alongside their number learning. Reading and mathematics therefore begin before the move into compulsory schooling.

Creative activities provide another strand. Nursery children have made ghosts and mummies and produced Halloween paintings. At the Fun Day, biscuit decorating and party games brought making and group play together. These are examples of particular activities, rather than a promise that each session follows the same pattern.

A nursery teacher sits within the school’s early years staffing structure. Beyond the nursery team, school roles include a SEND coordinator and a deputy SEND coordinator with family liaison responsibilities. That gives parents identifiable roles for discussing additional needs and family concerns.

For children with special educational needs, targeted help accompanies classroom teaching where needed. Parents and children participate in decisions, planning and progress reviews. The practical implication is that support planning includes the family’s knowledge of the child, rather than treating it as a classroom matter alone.

Staff training takes place throughout the year, and the SEND coordinator meets local counterparts and county teams each term. Family support also includes individual parenting help and assistance through the Early Help Assessment process. Parents seeking that support can email parentsupport@gloryfarmschool.co.uk.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal school admissions route, using Oxfordshire County Council’s admissions service and meeting the deadline for their child’s entry year.

For the 2026/27 admissions cycle, applications closed on 15 January 2026. That is a past deadline, not the date to use for a later intake. Keep the nursery decision and the Reception application as two separate tasks: attending nursery does not complete the application for school.

Funding covers either 15 or 30 hours, depending on the entitlement applicable to the child. Eligibility to attend begins in the term after the child turns three.

To register interest, complete the Nursery Expression of Interest Form or telephone the office on 01869 244050. The school is on Hendon Place, Sunderland Drive, Bicester, OX26 4YJ; general enquiries can also go to office@gloryfarmschool.co.uk.