St Mary & St Thomas Aquinas, Blaydon: Nursery Review

Stories, songs and ambitious vocabulary give the early years provision at St Mary & St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School, Blaydon its clearest character. Adults use language deliberately, helping children develop communication through their learning and play. Talking matters here.

The nursery belongs to a Catholic primary school on Stella Lane in Blaydon-on-Tyne. Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 15 and 16 October 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery inspection or a standalone nursery grade.

Language provides a strong thread through the early years curriculum. Singing, rhymes and stories give children repeated encounters with words, while adults demonstrate more adventurous vocabulary. The practical benefit is a connection between enjoyable activities and developing communication: children encounter language through what they hear, say and do.

Play also receives purposeful adult support. In October 2024, early years staff helped children acquire knowledge and skills quickly, guiding their learning rather than leaving progress to chance. For parents, the significant detail is the adult involvement. Play forms part of the learning, with staff helping children make use of it.

Early reading is another clear emphasis. The approach to phonics helped children develop the knowledge needed for their next educational stage. Alongside the work on spoken language, this gives the curriculum two connected strands: building children's vocabulary and developing their understanding of reading. The October 2024 findings described children as well prepared to move forward in their education.

Adult guidance extends across the early years provision. In October 2024, staff ensured that all children benefited from the learning and play offered. That matters for families looking for an approach in which adults actively help children participate.

At Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust level, the SEND approach emphasises identifying needs early and adapting the curriculum to the child. Classroom teachers hold responsibility for SEND provision, supported by the central education team. These are trust arrangements rather than a description of an individual nursery support plan; their stated aim is to match support to children's needs.

Attending this nursery does not guarantee a place in the school's Reception. Nursery admission and Reception admission are separate processes: families must apply again through the normal Reception route by the normal deadline.

Educational preparation is a different question from admission. The October 2024 early years findings support the provision's work on language, learning through play and early reading. Those foundations prepare children for further learning; they do not secure a school place.

The school is at Stella Lane, Blaydon-on-Tyne, NE21 4NE. Its telephone number is 01914143116, providing a direct school contact for nursery enquiries.