Our Lady and St Rose of Lima Catholic Primary School Nursery

Emergency vehicles made by nursery children give a concrete flavour of learning here: making things, exploring ideas and putting new knowledge to use. The All About Me topic introduces mechanisms through construction, bringing practical activity into the youngest children’s curriculum.

For three and four year olds, this is nursery provision within Our Lady and St Rose of Lima Catholic Primary School in Weoley Castle, Birmingham. Its Catholic character also reaches into early learning. Creation stories, discussion about feelings and teaching about friendship connect faith with experiences children can recognise.

Play shares the day with direct teaching. Children choose activities and explore their own ideas, while adults also teach the class together, work with small groups and give individual attention. Reading, early writing, number skills and communication feature in those focused sessions. Staff observe learning each day and use those observations to decide what comes next, allowing activities to respond to children’s interests and needs.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) organises this learning around seven areas. For parents, that means attention to talking and listening, movement and emotional development alongside early literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. Learning happens outside as well as indoors; play and adult guidance both have a place.

Practical exploration has named routes. Forest School introduces outdoor experiences with tools, while early design work includes junk modelling and making vehicles. The school’s outdoor learning area includes a prayer space, linking its physical surroundings with its Catholic teaching. For physical education, The PE Hub supports planning: early years activities develop catching and throwing, agility, gymnastics and dance. These give children specific movements to practise alongside their wider play.

Feelings and personal safety are taught explicitly. All The Feelings! uses pictures and stories to help children discuss emotions and consider how others feel. My Body, My Rules introduces bodily privacy and talking to a trusted person about worries. These lessons give children language for everyday concerns, rather than relying only on adults to recognise them.

Families with developmental concerns have a defined school support process. An Initial Concern Evaluation (ICE) meeting brings parents and teachers together to agree actions, followed by a six-week trial. Continued needs may lead to involvement from the special educational needs coordinator and outside services, including the Communication and Autism Team or Speech and Language Team. Individual Education Plan meetings take place three times a year, giving families repeated opportunities to discuss progress and targets.

Lunch has its own nursery timetable slot, from 11:25 to 12:20. The school’s packed-lunch policy encourages fruit, yoghurt and foods such as sandwiches or wraps; chocolate, cakes and fizzy drinks are excluded. That gives parents concrete guidance when preparing food.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process, using the local authority’s Common Application Form by the applicable deadline. The school’s admissions criteria summary gives no priority for nursery attendance. Catholic applicants also need a Supplementary Information Form returned directly to the school with the required supporting documents by the closing date.

Continuity in learning is a separate matter. Nursery and Reception staff discuss the curriculum closely and use a consistent balance of adult teaching and child-led activity. This connects the teaching approach across the two stages; it does not alter how Reception places are allocated.

The school timetable starts children’s day at 8:30, with doors opening at 8:25. Early years finishes at 15:20, allowing parents to collect younger children before going round to the main playground for older siblings.

The combined school and PE uniform applies across year groups: a white polo shirt, royal blue school sweatshirt or cardigan, plain black joggers and plain black shoes or trainers. Outdoor clothing should suit the weather, including a waterproof hooded coat and sun protection. Label personal belongings.

For enquiries, contact the school office on 0121 464 2283 or enquiry@olstrose.bham.sch.uk. Families considering the school can arrange a visit during the working day.