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Nursery at Cottingley Village Primary School
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Teddy bear picnics, gardening and seasonal walks give Cottingley’s nursery learning a practical starting point. This is the school’s own provision for children aged 3–4, with 52 places accommodating part-time and full-time attendance. Play and active exploration shape its approach: children develop skills through things they can do, investigate and share.
The nursery team plans learning together. Indoor and outdoor classrooms both contribute to the day, while a Friday lending library gives families a simple way to continue enjoying books at home.
Development Matters, the non-statutory guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage, guides the curriculum. In parent language, this brings together children’s growing independence, conversation and movement with early reading, number work, creativity and understanding of their surroundings. The nursery aims to develop knowledge and skills through active learning rather than treating play as a break from learning.
Sharing, taking turns and cooperating sit alongside confidence and independence. Physical learning includes coordination, balance and using equipment; mathematics introduces patterns, shapes, counting and solving problems. Creative exploration uses different materials, while learning about the world draws on science, geography and history. These are connected parts of an early education, with practical experiences giving children something concrete to explore.
Outdoor learning extends classroom activities at a bigger scale. The outdoor classroom supports large movements and coordination, which the nursery links to later control of pencils and scissors. Gardening and walks also bring learning into contact with the changing seasons. There is room for movement as well as closer observation.
Books have a regular place too. Each Friday, children can take a class-library book home to enjoy with their family, making shared reading part of the connection between nursery and home.
Familiar routines help children settle. At the September 2023 inspection, children were learning those routines from the start of Nursery, helping them establish belonging and settle promptly.
Staff collect observations of children’s learning in an individual Learning Journey, then discuss these with parents at consultations across the academic year. This gives conversations about progress concrete examples. During the 2025–2026 school year, Nursery Open Classroom sessions also invited parents to join activities, discuss learning with staff and explore ways to help at home.
For families seeking support with special educational needs or disabilities, the school office provides a route to the SENDCo, with an appointment arranged if the SENDCo cannot speak when called.
A nursery place does not guarantee admission to Cottingley’s Reception. Families must make a separate Reception application through the local authority’s normal admissions process; the school handles nursery admissions itself. Treat the two applications as separate decisions when planning your child’s next step.
The nursery has a 30-hour offer subject to eligibility. Families complete an online eligibility application, receive a code if approved, and provide it to the school for verification through the Bradford Early Years Portal. The school then arranges a nursery visit for parent and child.
For nursery enquiries, contact the school on 01274 567545 or email office@cottingleyvillageacademy.co.uk.
Children aged 3–4 can attend, with 52 places for part-time and full-time attendance.
Outdoor activities extend indoor learning at a larger scale. Planned experiences include gardening and seasonal walks, alongside opportunities to develop movement and coordination.
Each child has an individual Learning Journey containing observations, shared with parents during consultations throughout the academic year.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the local authority; nursery admissions are handled by the school.
It depends on eligibility. After an approved online application, families give their code to the school for verification through the Bradford Early Years Portal.
