Nursery at Balderstone St Leonard's

Brambles and Balderstone Bunnies give the youngest children two named starting points at Balderstone St Leonard's: Brambles Nursery welcomes children from 2 years of age, while Balderstone Bunnies is the preschool provision from 3. Both belong to the Church of England school on Commons Lane in Balderstone.

Christian faith shapes the early years' character. The school links its aims for children to care for others, curiosity and faith, with stories and reflection alongside exploration. For families choosing this provision, that religious identity is part of everyday learning.

Play and adult teaching share the early years day, with learning taking place outside as well as indoors. The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum supports children's development across its areas through that mixture of exploration and guided activity. Children have time to investigate, alongside teaching directed by adults.

Outdoor learning has a concrete base: the early years provision has a sheltered outdoor classroom and play area. An autumn walk involved watching wind-blown leaves and thinking about the oxygen trees provide. These examples bring the natural world into children's learning, rather than leaving it as a classroom topic.

Writing starts with physical preparation. Early years activities develop both larger movements and finer hand control, building the muscles children need before handling a pencil. The emphasis is on laying foundations for writing, rather than simply asking children to produce letters.

At the September 2023 inspection, the reading teaching that started in early years was effective. A separate, school-wide assessment concern was that some learning gaps escaped detection in a few subjects, limiting how deeply a small number of pupils learned; that finding was not identified as nursery-specific.

Families are involved in supporting early years learners. In September 2023, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received help developed with parents and specialists, with teaching adjusted to support their learning. That gives inclusion a practical basis: support involves both family knowledge and professional input.

School-provided lunches are offered to preschool and Brambles children. A rotating three-week menu is refreshed twice a year, and payments are made ahead through ParentMail. Contact the school for current lunch charges.

Medical care has a clear consent requirement. Staff can give doctor-prescribed medicine only with written permission from a parent or carer, and the consent form must be completed before administration.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process by the applicable deadline. Treat the nursery choice and the school-place application as separate decisions.

For the September 2026 Reception intake, the application deadline was 15 January 2026. That cycle has passed. Where families supplied a faith referee, the supplementary form also had to reach the school directly by that date.

Enquiries go to the school office on 01254 769150 or bursar@balderstone.lancs.sch.uk. Guided tours can be arranged by telephone, with visits welcomed during the school year. A tour offers families a chance to discuss their child's needs with the team.

In the early years, children change for PE to practise dressing themselves. This makes an everyday care task part of developing independence.