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Nursery at Harpur Hill 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
An independent nursery building, daily rhyme sessions and woodland learning give Harpur Hill’s nursery a character of its own within the primary school site. Run by the governors, it caters for children aged 2, 3 and 4 on Trent Avenue in Buxton. Its separate building gives the nursery a distinct physical base while remaining part of the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
Play and planned teaching share the day. Children have extended periods to choose resources and explore their interests, alongside activities led by adults. Staff join their play, introduce vocabulary and ask questions. For parents, that means learning happens through conversation and exploration as well as organised sessions.
The EYFS brings together language, movement and relationships with early reading, mathematics, creativity and understanding the world. Daily routines put those areas into practice: children help with snacks and milk, water plants, register themselves and use a weather chart. Nursery mathematics also develops through singing and snack routines, making early number learning part of familiar activities.
Little Wandle gives language and listening a specific structure. Bear Cubs take part in daily Rhyme Time, using actions, props and videos alongside nursery rhymes. Brilliant Bears practise listening, recognising sounds and combining spoken sounds through phonics games. Their reading sessions revisit books, explore vocabulary and connect stories with songs and poems. The emphasis is on the foundations of reading: hearing sounds, paying attention and enjoying language.
Mark making has a place throughout nursery provision, with opportunities to develop both larger movements and finer hand control. Adults demonstrate reading and writing for practical purposes. Outdoors, the school has substantial grounds near woodland and open countryside; EYFS children visit the woods for Welly Wednesdays. That gives exploration a setting beyond the nursery’s indoor learning space.
Starting can be gradual. Families can discuss a flexible introduction, and staff take time to learn about each child and their family individually. This allows the beginning of nursery attendance to be discussed around the child rather than treated as a single fixed step.
Everyday care includes tooth brushing alongside milk and snack routines. Children attending all day can bring a packed lunch or have a school dinner, which is charged separately. Lunch runs between the morning and afternoon sessions, so families choosing a full day also need to make a meal choice.
Support for special educational needs and disabilities involves considering the child’s individual needs and choosing suitable approaches or interventions. Parents can contact the SENCO at senco@harpurhill.derbyshire.sch.uk. This provides a direct route for discussing support before or during nursery attendance.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Derbyshire’s online admissions process at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/admissions; Derbyshire Local Authority allocates the places. The application window opens in November and closes in mid January before the September start. Keep that application separate from arranging nursery sessions.
Preparation for school includes everyday independence and communication. The early years readiness goals include sharing, expressing needs and feelings, managing a coat and shoes, and enjoying books with adults. These give families practical things to work on alongside nursery learning. They do not secure admission.
Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, with afternoon sessions from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. For children staying all day, lunch is from noon to 12.30pm. Extra sessions and sessions without funding are charged. Lunchtime supervision also carries a charge unless it forms part of a funded all-day session; contact the school for current charges.
All children become eligible for 15 funded hours in the term after their third birthday. For funding that requires a code, applications must be made before 31 August for autumn, 31 December for spring or 31 March for summer. Codes need renewal every three months. Those deadlines matter even when a code’s start date appears earlier than the next term.
Nursery entry points are September, January and after Easter. To enquire or arrange a visit, contact the school office on 01298 23261 or email info@harpurhill.derbyshire.sch.uk.
Children aged 2, 3 and 4 can attend the governor-run nursery.
Morning sessions are 9am to noon and afternoon sessions are 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Children staying all day have lunch from noon to 12.30pm.
Little Wandle activities include nursery rhymes, listening games, sound awareness and combining spoken sounds. Stories, songs and vocabulary work also support early reading.
Children staying all day can bring a packed lunch or have a charged school dinner. Lunchtime supervision is charged unless included in a funded all-day session.
No. Families must apply separately through Derbyshire’s online admissions process. Applications open in November and close in mid January before the September start.
