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Nursery at Red Lane 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Child-chosen play and small-group teaching share the day at Red Lane, where an eight-place provision for two-year-olds sits alongside a 52-place nursery for children aged three and four. Both belong to Red Lane Primary School in Breightmet, Bolton. The two age groups give families an early starting point within the school’s early years provision.
Ofsted graded early years provision Good at the inspection on 7 and 8 May 2025. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery.
Play has a clear teaching purpose here. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines exploration with learning in communication, early number work, literacy and social development. In both the under-threes provision and nursery, children choose some activities themselves and join others guided by adults, including small-group work. This gives them opportunities to pursue an interest as well as encounter something new.
Planning also focuses on executive function: remembering information, managing impulses and finding solutions. Red Lane aims to develop these abilities through everyday routines, organised activities and free play. For a young child, the practical goals include listening to an instruction, making a choice and coping with feelings.
Experiences beyond the classroom include trips to a farm and a park within the early years curriculum. These give children real places to connect with their learning. Parents can take part too: stay-and-play sessions bring adults into learning activities with their child, while workshops and activity bags extend that connection at home.
Emotional development receives attention from the Nursery Year onwards. In May 2025, staff helped children recognise feelings and regulate behaviour with sensitivity and skill. That matters when young children are learning to cope with frustration and express what they need.
The school uses the Thrive Approach across its provision. Where a child needs additional emotional support, the Thrive team works with parents and teachers on an individual activity plan. Activities can involve painting, cooking or sand-tray play, depending on the child’s needs. Support therefore has a practical, playful form.
Staffing includes a nursery higher-level teaching assistant and separate teams for nursery and under-threes. Wider school support includes a speech and language therapist working with every age group, alongside advice from Ladywood Outreach. Families can contact the school’s SEND coordinators through the office, giving them a route into discussions about additional needs.
The school kitchen supplies lunchtime meals, and children may bring a packed lunch instead. Income-related free meals can include nursery children when they attend on both sides of lunchtime and meet the eligibility conditions. This is distinct from the funded childcare hours.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process; Bolton Local Authority coordinates these applications. Choosing this nursery should therefore be a decision about the early years experience itself, with the Reception application treated as a separate step.
Morning nursery sessions run from 8.45am to 11.45am; afternoon sessions run from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Those are distinct attendance windows, so families need to plan collection around their child’s session.
For three- and four-year-olds, the main nursery provides 15 funded hours per week, with 30 hours for eligible children. Two-year-old places accommodate eligible funded children and families paying for care. Contact the school office on 01204 333580 or office@red-lane.bolton.sch.uk for nursery place enquiries and current charges.
There is a separate provision for two-year-olds and a main nursery for children aged three and four.
Morning sessions are 8.45am to 11.45am, and afternoon sessions are 12.30pm to 3.30pm.
The main nursery provides 15 funded hours per week for three- and four-year-olds, with 30 hours for eligible children. Eligible two-year-olds can also take funded places.
No. A separate Reception application is required through the normal process coordinated by Bolton Local Authority.
Early years families are invited to stay-and-play sessions and learning reviews. Parent workshops and take-home activity bags also support learning at home.
