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Nursery at Boldon Nursery 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A replica of Souter Lighthouse, a garden waterway and a firehouse give Boldon’s outdoor approach its distinctive shape. Nature is the main learning space, rather than a break between indoor activities. This is a local authority nursery school in its own right, on Reginald Street in Boldon Colliery.
Children aged two to five share an open-plan provision, with resources and adult communication adapted to their development. Younger children can observe older peers and join their play. The Barn provides a smaller base for children who need time to build confidence before exploring the larger garden.
Nature Pedagogy leads the curriculum, with influence from Reggio Emilia: children’s interests help determine projects, while adults introduce materials, questions and opportunities to develop their thinking. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together movement, communication and emotional development with early reading, mathematics, creativity and understanding the world. Here, those areas overlap in practical play.
Sessions begin with a key group, news-sharing and calming activities. Children then choose projects and explore, supported by adults who respond to their ideas. A flute brings everyone together to discuss discoveries; stories and songs provide a quieter close. That gives the day recognisable gathering points while leaving room for sustained exploration.
The garden beach connects with visits to Souter Lighthouse. At the waterway, children investigate flow and use leaves or sticks as boats; the nature kitchen includes weighing and measuring equipment. Inside, the studio supports paint-making from berries and leaves, alongside shadow experiments using a projector. Children can return to unfinished projects, giving ideas time to develop.
The Beyond extends learning off site, beginning with Souter Lighthouse and revisiting places as children’s interests develop. In June 2024, Ofsted described children comparing garden snails with African land snails, using mathematical vocabulary and spontaneously signing the Makaton word for snail. It is a concrete example of language, number-related thinking and nature study meeting in one activity.
Settling starts before the first session, with a home visit and nursery visits arranged nearer the child’s start date. During sessions, children know where their key person is working, but can explore with other adults too. Families have opportunities to talk at either end of the session, with further updates shared through Dojo.
Redeveloped in 2025, the former Nido is now called The Barn. Its smaller setting includes a quiet sensory area and somewhere to rest or sleep, giving younger children and those needing calm a base to return to. SEND support involves a coordinator working with families, staff and outside agencies. Additional information or staff training may be necessary before a child starts, so safe access can be prepared.
Lunch is also a learning opportunity. Adults help children serve themselves, handle cutlery and cut food, with seating options indoors and outside. Families can discuss a tailored packed lunch or a warm cooked meal, including allergies and selective eating. The June 2024 inspection found that children with SEND participated successfully alongside other children and that safeguarding arrangements were effective.
Attendance at Boldon does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process, meeting the applicable deadline for their chosen primary school.
Preparation here centres on skills developed through play. Adults introduce writing materials when children have a reason to record something, rather than interrupting an absorbing activity for letter-tracing. Storytelling, problem-solving and practical independence are part of that preparation. They support the next stage of learning; they do not determine admission.
The fee schedule effective from September 2024 lists morning sessions from 8:30 to 11:30, afternoons from 12:15 to 15:15 and full days from 8:30 to 14:30. Breakfast Club runs from 7:45 to 8:30. The governors’ 2025-26 statement subsequently records adjustments to session times, so the older timetable needs that qualification. Wraparound arrangements depend on demand and can change annually.
The registration form accepts requests for mornings, afternoons, flexible attendance and full days. It asks about funded two-year-old places and eligibility for 15 or 30 hours, including working-parent funding. The older fee schedule treats lunch as additional to the full-day charge. Contact the school for current charges.
Registration is online, followed by a team discussion of family requirements. Visits before applying can be arranged by calling 0191 5363669. Outdoor kit matters across the seasons: clothing needs to support a day spent largely in nature.
Its mixed-age provision covers children aged two to five, with learning resources and communication adapted to their development.
Children spend most, and sometimes all, of their session outside. Indoor spaces support meals, creative work, changing and quieter breaks.
The team arranges a home visit and settling-in visits nearer the start date. The Barn offers a smaller base for children who need a gradual introduction to the garden.
The nursery works with families on tailored packed lunches or warm cooked meals, taking account of allergies and selective eating.
No. Families need a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process for their chosen primary school.
