Castle Hill Primary School Nursery Review

Thursday throwing and catching, daily toothbrushing and fruit at snack time give Castle Hill’s nursery a practical, recognisable rhythm. This school nursery in Tonge Moor, Bolton, has 26 places for children aged three and four. Families can choose different attendance patterns around their funded hours, rather than having to spread every place across five mornings.

At the February 2023 Ofsted inspection, early years provision was graded Good and children in the combined early years classroom developed enthusiasm and confidence in learning. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Practical experiences shape the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. In parent language, the emphasis is on children learning through things they do and experience, with planning that takes account of their interests and needs. Development Matters guides this work alongside the statutory EYFS framework. Communication receives deliberate attention: expressing ideas, speaking clearly and forming relationships are explicit priorities.

Topics include Transport and Traditional Tales, giving children subjects around which to build conversation and understanding. Early reading has a named approach too: Read Write Inc. begins in Nursery. Phonics Play provides Phase 1 games for home, so parents have a specific resource to use alongside classroom learning.

Movement has its own weekly slot. On Thursdays, children practise different ways of moving, take part in physical games and develop catching and throwing. They stay in their usual clothes, with trainers or other suitable footwear, rather than changing into a PE kit.

Book choice. In February 2023, the early years classroom’s selection for children’s independent use was too limited, restricting access to fiction, poetry and factual books. This matters alongside the phonics programme: learning to read and having appealing books to choose are distinct parts of a child’s reading experience.

Parents can message the nursery team through Tapestry, and children’s observations are uploaded each week. This gives families a regular connection with what their child has been doing, as well as a route for questions. The nursery team includes a teacher and teaching assistant.

Milk and fruit are offered daily. Snack choices include pears, bananas and apples; anything extra brought from home must be healthy and nut free, and bottles must contain water. The nut restriction also covers products labelled as potentially containing nuts, so families need to check packaging. Daily brushing through Brush Bus makes oral care part of the routine rather than an occasional lesson.

For additional needs, the school office provides access to the SENDCo/Inclusion Lead. The school’s Early Help process also brings staff and partner agencies together to assess needs, arrange support and review progress. These are practical contact routes for families seeking help.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal admissions process and meet the deadline for their entry year. The published arrangements for September 2024 entry directed Reception applications to Bolton Council’s Citizen Portal. Confirm the route and deadline for your child’s entry year with Bolton Council.

Educational continuity is a separate matter. The EYFS curriculum aims to carry skills and familiar routines from Nursery into Reception, allowing children to build on what they have already learned. That continuity should not be treated as an admissions entitlement.

The nursery accepts the 15-hour entitlement for three- and four-year-olds and the 30-hour entitlement for eligible working parents. Those using 15 hours can attend mornings throughout the week, afternoons throughout the week, or a block of two-and-a-half days.

The block choices are Monday and Tuesday with Wednesday morning, or Wednesday afternoon with Thursday and Friday. Parents using the 15-hour entitlement can purchase extra sessions; a whole day counts as two sessions. Contact the school for current charges.

For nursery enquiries, telephone 01204 332766 or email office@castle-hill.bolton.sch.uk. A yearly school Open Day offers a chance to look around, and the office can arrange an alternative visit time when the Open Day timings are inconvenient.