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Nursery at St Mary Magdalen Catholic 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Nativity performances, sports events and activities organised by the PTA connect this nursery to the life of its Catholic primary school. Children join from the term following their third birthday, with a class teacher and nursery nurse forming the nursery team. This is a school nursery with opportunities to take part beyond its own classroom.
On Spring Street in Brighton, the school has one nursery class. Its site includes three playgrounds and a small environmental area. These are school facilities, rather than a description of a separate nursery garden. Families of different faiths can apply, while the school's Catholic ethos remains part of the choice.
Children's interests help shape the learning, with independent play sitting alongside activities led by adults and immersive experiences. The statutory Early Years Framework guides the curriculum: the practical emphasis here is on learning through play and supported activity. Children have opportunities to pursue an idea themselves as well as take part in something an adult has prepared.
Outdoor chalk drawing is one concrete example of those interests in action. It gives a clearer picture of the nursery's approach than a timetable alone: children's ideas can become activities. Participation in school celebrations and sports adds another strand to the day, connecting nursery experiences with the wider school.
At the June 2025 inspection, Ofsted identified singing and imaginative storytelling as everyday early-years activities, including creating characters. Language therefore has a practical place in play, giving children material for conversation and imaginative activity.
Before a child starts, an appointment with the nursery teacher follows the application forms. Families discuss their child's needs and preferred attendance pattern. That creates a specific opportunity to explain what matters for the child before sessions begin. Parents and carers are also invited to participate in nursery life, extending the relationship beyond the initial application.
The school's SEND arrangements include monitoring children's needs, gathering information from families and relevant services, and making adjustments to support participation. Individual Education Plans have targets reviewed each term, with families encouraged to contribute. The SENDCo also holds termly coffee mornings, providing another opportunity for parents to discuss concerns.
For children learning English as an additional language, school support includes small-group work and collaboration with multilingual staff from the local authority's EMAS service. These are school support arrangements rather than a separate nursery programme.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate school application: the route combines an application to Brighton and Hove City Council with a Supplementary Information Form returned to the school office. Treat this as another application, even when your child already attends nursery.
Taking part in Nativity performances, sports events and PTA activities gives nursery children contact with wider school life. That participation is distinct from the allocation of a Reception place.
The nursery offers a 15-hour entitlement from the term after a child's third birthday, arranged across two and a half days. The first pattern covers Monday and Tuesday, 9am to 3pm, plus Wednesday, 9am to noon. The second starts on Wednesday, noon to 3pm, followed by Thursday and Friday, 9am to 3pm.
For eligible working parents, the nursery also offers 30 funded hours across Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm. Session preferences are discussed with the nursery teacher, and accommodation depends on vacancies. The fixed half-week patterns matter for families planning work and other childcare around attendance.
Contact the school office to arrange a look around or begin an enquiry: office@stmarymags.brighton-hove.sch.uk or 01273 327533.
The nursery page offers places from the term after a child turns three.
The 15-hour provision runs over the first or second half of the week. Eligible working parents can use the 30-hour pattern, Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm.
Children take part in independent play, adult-guided activities and immersive experiences, with their interests helping shape learning. Outdoor chalk drawing is one example.
No. A separate application is required through Brighton and Hove City Council, alongside the school's Supplementary Information Form.
Yes. Contact the school office to arrange a look around.
