Little Oaks Nursery at St Mary's, Bridgwater

Play indoors and outdoors, with room for children to pursue their own ideas, shapes the approach at Little Oaks. This is the nursery at St Mary's Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School on Oakfield Road in Bridgwater. Provision includes two-year-olds, so the nursery serves children before the usual school starting point.

The connection with the school is practical: nursery staff and the Reception team plan the curriculum together. For families, that means continuity in what children learn. Attendance does not guarantee a Reception place.

Adult-guided activities sit alongside play that children direct themselves. Resources are accessible in both outdoor and indoor learning areas, giving children opportunities to choose materials and develop an idea over time. Exploration and investigation are part of the approach, with space to try things out rather than simply follow instructions.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the structure. In parent terms, its starting points are learning to communicate, developing movement and managing feelings and relationships. Mathematics, literacy, creative expression and understanding the world extend that foundation. Planning follows children's interests and individual needs, so these areas shape activities rather than becoming a timetable of separate school subjects.

In January 2025, nursery children took turns and paid attention when listening. Across the early years, children were keen to contribute ideas to adults, and counting included language for comparing quantities. These are useful everyday foundations: participating in a group, explaining a thought and understanding how amounts differ.

Lunch requires a little organisation at home. BAM Catering prepares meals at Robert Blake and sends them to the school each day. Parents place orders through SchoolGrid, which also lets them inspect ingredients and prevent the selection of dishes containing particular allergens. Nursery lunches are charged; contact the school for current charges.

Ordering is the parent's responsibility. If an order is missed, the school phones home for a packed lunch because it cannot supply a spare meal. That makes checking the order an important part of preparing for the day.

Little Oaks has a designated safeguarding lead and a deputy. Staff working with children receive training in the nursery's safeguarding procedures, giving families a defined team to contact about concerns. The school's SEND coordinator can be reached at SEND@stmarysbridgwater.co.uk, providing a contact for discussing additional needs.

Attending Little Oaks does not guarantee a Reception place at St Mary's. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process by the applicable deadline. Curriculum continuity should be kept separate from that application.

Nursery and Reception staff have jointly developed the learning programme. That collaboration connects the knowledge and skills children work on across the two stages; it does not secure a school place.

For direct contact with Little Oaks, use littleoaks.nursery@stmarysbridgwater.co.uk or telephone 01278 422691. The nursery safeguarding team can also be contacted through these details when a family has a concern.

Meal ordering. Lunch orders must be made online by parents. Build that task into your routine so a missed order does not require a packed lunch to be brought in during the day.