Gilberdyke Primary School Nursery Review

Stories, conversation and imaginative play give Gilberdyke’s nursery its character. This is provision for three and four-year-olds within Gilberdyke Primary School, with language development running through its early years teaching. Ofsted rated the school’s early years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 14 and 15 May 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Play has a clear purpose here. Children choose activities as well as joining experiences guided by adults, with their interests and needs helping shape the planning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together movement, relationships and communication with early reading, maths, creativity and learning about the world. For parents, that means learning extends beyond recognisable reading or number activities into how children talk, play and manage relationships.

Language takes centre stage. In May 2024, early years teaching gave children repeated opportunities to use new words, while adults developed learning through conversation. Children spoke readily with adults and one another. Stories and rhymes supported vocabulary, and children collaborated on a story map to retell a familiar tale. This gives talk a practical role: children use words to explain ideas and build a story together.

Daily stories and poems sit alongside action rhymes and listening activities in Nursery. Oral blending helps children hear how separate sounds combine into words, laying foundations for later reading. Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised is the school’s early reading programme; the nursery emphasis is on these foundations. Across EYFS, daily Rhyme Time and a weekly Poetry Basket poem add repetition and rhythm. Weekly Stay and Read sessions also give families a way to join in.

Indoor learning space and outdoor areas supported imaginative activities in May 2024, with their organisation helping children become curious about learning. Physical development has its own practical content: early years children practise balancing, jumping, throwing and catching. These activities build the movement skills used in play. Maths planning across EYFS uses NCETM, giving number learning a named planning framework alongside the play-based approach.

In May 2024, established early years routines helped children develop confidence and resilience. Adults were trained to extend learning during activities, so support was woven into what children were doing.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the school aims to involve families in decisions about provision. Parents can raise concerns with the class teacher, with the SEND coordinator involved where appropriate. School support options include language enrichment, speech and language therapy programmes and small-group work. The support chosen depends on the child’s needs. Regular progress meetings give parents opportunities to discuss development and agree next steps.

Lunch supervision forms part of the funded nursery sessions. Families can send a packed lunch or choose a school meal as an optional extra, keeping food choice separate from supervision. Parents should tell the office about allergies or intolerances so the information reaches staff and the cook; a discussion with the cook can also be arranged.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application to the local authority where they live, meeting its normal application deadline. For East Riding residents, the route is East Riding of Yorkshire Council; families living elsewhere apply through their home authority. No supplementary form is required.

Additional transition support is tailored to pupils who would benefit from it. The school’s arrangements can include photographs in a transition book, brief classroom visits and introducing new staff in familiar surroundings. Communication Passports can pass important information to the next staff team. These arrangements support the change of classroom; they do not secure admission.

The 15-hour pattern combines Wednesday attendance from 13:30 to 15:30 with Thursday and Friday sessions from 08:45 to 15:30. The school adds half an hour of attendance at no charge, outside the funded entitlement, and claims only the child’s eligible entitlement.

The 30-hour funded pattern runs Monday to Thursday from 08:45 to 15:30, followed by Friday from 08:45 to 11:45. Friday therefore needs a different collection plan. School lunches are optional charged extras; contact the school for current charges.

For a nursery enquiry or to arrange a visit, call 01430 440668. General enquiries can also go to admin.gilberdyke@hcat.org.uk. Nursery enquiries go directly to the school, keeping this first step separate from the later Reception application.