Chorley New Road Primary Academy Nursery

At the March 2023 inspection, early years children shared stories and gardening activities with parents and carers at Chorley New Road Primary Academy in Horwich, Bolton. These sessions brought families into children’s learning. The school admits children from age three.

The nursery’s clearest educational emphasis is communication. In March 2023, Ofsted found that the Nursery Year gave children a positive foundation in language and communication. For a young child, that means the early learning focus reaches beyond preparing to read: explaining ideas and understanding new words matter too.

New vocabulary and clear explanations shape early learning here. In March 2023, teachers in the early years introduced unfamiliar ideas clearly, giving children a way into the knowledge they were learning. This makes adult interaction an important part of the nursery experience, alongside the family activities.

The curriculum begins in the Nursery Year, with knowledge organised to build through the school. The relevant point for nursery families is that early learning has a planned place in that sequence. Communication and language are a specific starting point, rather than an incidental benefit of being around other children.

Routines also feature in the early years findings. Children learned them quickly, helping establish positive approaches to learning. Predictable expectations can help children understand what to do next and take part in a shared session.

Family gardening and shared stories add another dimension. They give parents opportunities to participate in early learning, with books and gardening providing concrete activities to share with their children.

Relationships are a significant part of the early years picture. In March 2023, staff built trusting connections with children, helping them feel secure and able to turn to adults with worries. For nursery families, that links care directly to a child’s confidence in asking for help.

The school’s safeguarding arrangements were effective at that time. Staff understood their duties, raised welfare concerns and received training; leaders acted promptly and worked with outside agencies when support was needed.

There was also a school-wide concern: safeguarding records sometimes lacked clarity, making oversight harder for governors and trustees. This did not expose pupils to harm, but clearer, more consistent records were required. Families should weigh that administrative weakness alongside the positive findings about children’s relationships with staff.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the relevant deadline. Sharing a school setting does not remove that separate decision.

The nursery is part of the academy on Chorley New Road, Horwich, Bolton, BL6 6EW. The school’s telephone number is 01204337046, providing a direct contact point for families interested in the provision.