St Joseph and St Bede RC Primary School Nursery

Catholic identity gives this school nursery its context: St Joseph and St Bede RC Primary School places faith and partnership with families at the centre of its ambitions. The nursery belongs to the primary school on Danesmoor Drive in Bury, rather than being a separate childcare setting. For parents, the choice is about an early start within a Catholic school community.

The school aims to help children become confident, caring and active members of society. A concrete expression of that ethos is the school's St Teresa Kindness Bench, created as a place associated with friendship and comfort. It is a school feature; that does not establish a particular nursery activity or routine.

The curriculum context is the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Across St Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Academy Trust, early years settings use the revised EYFS framework alongside Development Matters. These are the named foundations for early learning here.

Early language and vocabulary are priorities from EYFS onwards. The Trust also promotes reading aloud and book corners across its schools, giving books and spoken language a clear place in its educational approach. For a parent weighing up early learning, the emphasis is on developing language as a foundation for what comes next.

Schools retain freedom to shape their curriculum around their own communities within a shared Trust framework. Catholic faith is part of that framework: the Trust expects opportunities for worship and celebration. This gives families a clear indication of the educational and religious context surrounding the nursery.

Inclusion is an explicit Trust curriculum aim. Its approach covers children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), children learning English as an additional language and those facing disadvantage. Teaching adaptations, modelling and support for independence form part of that approach; these are Trust expectations, rather than a description of an individual child's support plan.

Safeguarding concerns go first to the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead. That provides families with a defined route for raising a concern. The school can also draw on the Trust's safeguarding team for advice and staff training.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the applicable deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.

St Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Academy Trust is the admission authority, while the relevant local authority coordinates applications on its behalf. Parents should follow their home local authority's admissions process. Familiarity with the school must not be treated as an offer of a place.

The school is at Danesmoor Drive, Bury, BL9 6ER. Nursery enquiries can go to the school office at office@sjsb.stoccat.org.uk or by telephone on 0161 764 3781. This gives families a direct school contact for starting an enquiry.