Monkleigh Primary School Nursery Review

Mud kitchens, repeated favourite stories and lighthouse construction give Monkleigh’s nursery its character. Sunflowers caters for two-year-olds, while Caterpillars takes children aged three to four. Both belong to the school’s Foundation Stage Unit, which occupies the front of the building. This gives the younger children their own place within the primary school.

Language runs through the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum: children develop communication, independence and the ability to manage their feelings alongside physical and thinking skills. Listening games, rhyme and oral blending prepare nursery children for reading. The Read Write Inc Nursery programme begins in the summer term before Reception, giving those early sound activities a named teaching approach.

Favourite Five books stay on display in each group’s classroom and are read repeatedly. Stories also prompt practical investigations. Caterpillars’ work on The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch included experimenting with pulleys, building lighthouses from reused materials and discussing the main character’s feelings. Counting, songs and number play introduce maths; comparing objects by weight gives children a reason to use words such as heavier and lighter.

Outdoor learning has tangible equipment behind it. Sunflowers has explored the mud kitchen and water cascades, while Caterpillars has built outdoor car tracks with guttering and stands. Caterpillars has made potions in Forest School and retold Sleeping Beauty using puppets and a puppet show. These activities bring construction, movement and conversation together rather than confining learning to a table.

At the June 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that early-years children were thriving, with language development receiving close attention and activities helping them link ideas. That finding supports the nursery’s emphasis on talking through what children make, notice and imagine.

Settling starts with relationships and familiar stories. Sunflowers’ early activities have included sharing family photographs and reading Owl Babies to explore the reassurance that a parent or carer returns. Caterpillars has used stories, play and cuddles while becoming familiar with the adults. These are concrete ways to make separation and a new room easier to understand.

Parents can join Progress and Play mornings to see their children’s activities. Caterpillars’ Borrow Bear also connects home and nursery: families contribute drawings or photographs of its adventures to the group’s book.

Food has a learning role as well as a care role. Sunflowers has practised spreading and cutting while making sandwiches with a fruit snack; Caterpillars has tasted different fruits and vegetables. The Foundation Stage Unit follows the DfE Early Years Foundation Stage Nutrition Guidance, including preparation to reduce choking risks, and asks families to prepare food from home in the same way.

For additional needs, the school has a SEND coordinator and provides extra support when children encounter learning difficulties. Ramps and access to most of the school are practical features for families considering mobility needs. Staff receive regular safeguarding training.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal school admissions process; Monkleigh directs applicants to Devon’s school-place application service. Treat that application as a separate task from joining the nursery.

Familiarisation is a different matter. A transition day has welcomed Caterpillars into the Reception group, giving children experience of their next classroom stage. This helps make the change more familiar, but does not secure admission.

To enquire about the nursery, complete the Foundation Stage Unit Note of Interest Form. Visits can be arranged by calling 01805 623269. The next application steps are the nursery application form and parent declaration.

The school’s Breakfast & Tea Club uses ParentMail bookings made eight days ahead, with payment required when booking. Its rear gate is used for club drop-off and collection. Children leave with a parent or carer recognised by staff and identified on their registration form, so collection arrangements need to be organised in advance. Refer to the school for current charges.