Nursery at Ss Simon & Jude CofE Primary School, Bolton

Ladybirds and Caterpillars give the nursery at Ss Simon & Jude its own identity within this Church of England primary school in Great Lever, Bolton. Provision includes children aged two. The nursery describes relationships with children and their families as the starting point for helping children feel secure enough to explore.

Early years provision was judged Good at the Ofsted inspection on 12 and 13 March 2024. That judgement covers the school's early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery. The school welcomes families of any faith and those with none, so its Christian identity sits alongside an explicitly inclusive welcome.

Early reading has a clear place in nursery learning. Read, Write Inc Phonics begins in Nursery, introducing the programme before children move further through school. In March 2024, children started phonics on joining early years and used reading books suited to the sounds they knew. This connects the teaching of sounds with books children can attempt for themselves.

The early years foundation stage, or EYFS, spans more than reading. The Early Years team's parent workshops cover language and communication, physical development, feelings and relationships, literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and creative expression. For parents, these topics give a useful picture of the different kinds of development supported during the early years.

Routines matter too. In March 2024, early years children adapted promptly to expectations and made a positive start. At that time, the school was operating from a temporary campus called the learning village after damage to its original building. That is a dated picture of the physical setting, rather than a description of today's accommodation.

Both Ladybirds and Caterpillars emphasise working with families from the beginning. The nursery aims to build trust through those relationships, helping children gain confidence as they start exploring away from home.

A dedicated SENDCo works with teaching colleagues and families across the school. Parents can contact this team through the school office, giving them a direct route to discuss concerns about special educational needs or disabilities. Early Years parent workshops also provide opportunities to understand children's learning and development.

Safeguarding oversight. In March 2024, safeguarding arrangements across the school were effective, but governance checks did not consistently detect minor shortcomings in records and compliance procedures. This was a school-wide concern. It matters to nursery families because oversight forms part of the school's responsibility for keeping children safe.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the local authority's normal Reception process, meeting the deadline for their child's entry year.

For September 2026 entry, applications went through the School Admissions Portal and closed on 15 January 2026. That deadline has passed. Nursery applications go directly to the school, so the two processes need to be treated separately when planning the next stage.

The school handles nursery applications itself: complete a nursery application form and return it to the school office. This gives families a direct application route for the nursery provision.

The school is on Newport Road, Great Lever, Bolton, BL3 2DT. General enquiries can be made through the contact form or by calling 01204 333 583; the office email is sssjoffice@vantageacademies.co.uk. SEND enquiries can also go through the office.