St Peter's Church of England Primary School Nursery Review

Little Fishes and Rainbow Fish give St Peter's nursery provision two distinct identities. They belong to the primary school on Minniecroft Road in Burnham, so families are choosing nursery education within a school setting. Moving between the two nurseries involves its own application rather than an automatic transfer.

In February 2022, the nursery catered for children aged two to four. That age range places early communication and emotional development at the centre of this review: the nursery-specific inspection findings concern talking, listening and seeking reassurance from a familiar adult.

Speaking and listening are a clear focus. Ofsted's inspection on 15 and 16 February 2022 found that nursery staff developed these skills effectively, preparing children for the next stage of learning to read. For parents, the useful emphasis is on the foundations of literacy: children developing the communication skills that come before reading itself.

The early years foundation stage also includes learning about emotions. In February 2022, children were learning to recognise feelings and put names to them. This connects learning with everyday care, giving children a way to express how they feel as well as practise speaking.

Curriculum planning extended from nursery through the school, with intended knowledge and skills mapped across subjects. Curriculum oversight. The February 2022 findings also identified weaknesses in leadership of foundation subjects across the school: checks on teaching and learning were incomplete, and further training was needed. This is a wider curriculum concern, rather than a separate judgement on nursery teaching.

A key person provides a familiar source of reassurance. In February 2022, children in the early years felt able to turn to that adult for comfort. Alongside work on recognising emotions, this gives a concrete picture of how learning and emotional support connect: children can name a feeling and seek help with it.

For a welfare concern, parents can telephone the school and request a safeguarding lead. There is also a dedicated safeguarding email address, safeguarding@stpeters.bucks.sch.uk. Email messages should use SAFEGUARDING as the subject and include the sender's contact details, giving the team a route to respond.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. A separate Reception application is required through the normal admissions route; the admissions page directs families to Buckinghamshire Council. Attendance by a child or their sibling at either nursery is excluded from the school's admissions criteria, so it brings no admissions priority.

There is another distinction within the nursery provision itself. A child already attending Little Fishes still needs a fresh application for Rainbow Fish. Families should treat that move and the later Reception application as separate decisions.

Nursery enquiries can go to the admissions officer at admissions@stpeters.bucks.sch.uk or by telephone on 01628 602295. The admissions page includes a Little Fishes registration form and parent contract, alongside a Rainbow Fish admission form, giving each nursery its own application paperwork.

The school address is Minniecroft Road, Burnham, SL1 7DE. For general questions, the office can be reached at admin@stpeters.bucks.sch.uk, and the contact page also provides an enquiry form.