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Nursery at Brandwood 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Three-hour sessions, books and language support give Brandwood’s nursery its practical shape. This is the school’s own nursery provision on Brandwood Street in Bolton, with separate morning and afternoon sessions. For families planning around a shorter nursery day, those two patterns provide a clear starting point.
Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good following its 10 and 11 January 2023 inspection. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.
Books provide a concrete window into the early years day. In January 2023, children enjoyed looking through books alongside adults, and staff supported language development skilfully. Children also became familiar with routines, worked together and showed consideration for each other. Learning to communicate and learning to share space both matter here.
Read Write Inc is the named reading approach used across early years. It introduces letter sounds and blending, with questions about books helping children understand what they read. Story time includes adults explaining unfamiliar vocabulary. The class library loan box also lets children select books for school and home, giving families something tangible to share beyond the session.
Curriculum consistency. In January 2023, curriculum planning in one or two subjects needed clearer decisions about what children should learn and in what sequence. Checks on remembered learning were also uneven in a small number of subjects. These weaknesses could leave gaps that made subsequent learning harder. They qualify the otherwise positive early years judgement and give parents a useful focus when discussing learning with staff.
Speech and language support has a nursery-specific strand: Reception & Nursery Narrative is delivered weekly by a speech and language therapist. For children identified for therapy, targets draw on assessments, Learner Profiles and Education, Health and Care Plans. Support staff observe therapy and practise the model again individually or in small groups, connecting specialist input with further practice.
The Sanctuary serves children in early years and Key Stage 1 with sensory difficulties as part of individual provision. Its environment can be adjusted towards calm or stimulation according to need, with individual or small-group work on personal targets. It is a specific support space, rather than a promise that every nursery child uses it.
Parents with developmental concerns start with the class teacher, with the SEND team involved where needed. Families of children with SEND have termly meetings or telephone consultations to review Learner Profile targets. This makes the next steps a shared discussion.
For families learning English, the school’s EAL team supports induction and keeps in touch afterwards. Interpretation is offered in Arabic, Gujarati and Urdu, making conversations about settling and support more accessible.
Attending Brandwood’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal process with Bolton Council and meet the applicable deadline. The school’s admission arrangements allocate places through the council and do not include nursery attendance among the priority criteria.
Transition support is a separate matter. Brandwood’s annual arrangements include a morning with the new teacher in the new classroom. For children with SEND, teachers and the relevant SENDCo exchange records and discuss successful support strategies. Familiarity and information transfer support the move; they do not confer an admissions advantage.
Morning nursery runs from 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoon nursery runs from 12.15pm to 3.15pm. Each pattern is labelled as 15 hours. These timings make the collection point clear when organising the rest of the family day.
For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 01204 333 444 or email office@brandwood.bolton.sch.uk. Curriculum enquiries also go through the office.
The morning session is 8.30am to 11.30am, and the afternoon session is 12.15pm to 3.15pm. Each is listed as a 15-hour pattern.
No. Nursery attendance is not included in the school’s listed priority criteria, and a separate Reception application is required through Bolton Council.
Early years provision was graded Good following the 10 and 11 January 2023 school inspection. This is an early years judgement within the school inspection, not a separate nursery grade.
Reception & Nursery Narrative is a weekly intervention delivered by a speech and language therapist. Therapy for identified children follows assessed needs and individual targets.
Speak first to your child’s class teacher. A meeting with the SEND team can then be arranged if necessary.
