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Nursery at Great Corby School and Nursery
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Natural objects, imaginative play and regular Forest School visits give Great Corby's nursery its character. The early years provision has completed Curiosity Approach accreditation, an approach that encourages children to explore materials and develop their own ideas. Curiosity is the starting point.
Children join from the term after their third birthday, with provision for three and four year olds within the school's Early Years teaching area. Nursery shares that area with Reception, placing it within the school rather than in a separate setting.
Play shapes the learning here. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together physical development, communication and emotional development with early literacy, maths, creativity and understanding the world. Adult-guided activities sit alongside children's own choices and additional learning opportunities. Development Matters also guides the approach, with supported play giving children opportunities to investigate, solve problems and explain their thinking.
The detail is reassuringly concrete: small pebbles and tens frames support counting, while puzzles, small-world play and tools give children practice in controlling their hands. Storytelling and role play encourage them to express ideas and extend their vocabulary. These are foundations built through doing and talking.
Learning takes place indoors and outside, including regular visits to the Forest School site. Natural objects are central to the Curiosity Approach, giving imagination something tangible to work with. Music includes singing accompanied by the piano in Early Years, adding another way to explore sound and language.
Ofsted's March 2024 inspection found that nursery children developed vocabulary through songs, stories and rhymes, while effective adult interactions encouraged curiosity across early years. Checking understanding. A school-wide improvement action concerned delays in correcting some pupils' misunderstandings before introducing new learning. For families, this makes checking how staff respond when a child needs more practice a useful consideration.
An Early Years teacher and practitioner work with the children, with the headteacher also teaching in Early Years during afternoons. The teaching role includes EYFS leadership and deputy safeguarding responsibilities. In March 2024, early years children settled promptly because staff welcomed them warmly.
Personal care is part of the learning: adults support children to handle emotions, look after their bodies and become more independent with their own needs. Weekly SCARF sessions begin in Nursery, covering relationships, differences and keeping safe. Classroom Zone of Regulation boards help children recognise changes in their feelings.
For additional needs, the school aims to identify limited progress early and provide targeted support. Parents receive updates about their child's learning through the SEND process, and the school works with health professionals and the local authority. Orian supplies the school's meals through School Hub, where parents order and manage payments online.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and gives no priority in the admission criteria. Families must make a separate Reception application. For September 2027 entry, apply through Cumberland's local authority website by 15 January 2027; an application form can also be requested from the school.
Sharing the Early Years teaching area provides continuity of surroundings, but that practical familiarity is separate from admission. Families should plan for the application even when their child already attends nursery.
Choose a school day from 08:50 to 15:20, or a half day from 08:50 to 12:00 or 12:00 to 15:20. Additional sessions are booked through the school office and are chargeable. The nursery offers the universal 15-hour entitlement for three and four year olds and 30-hour funding for eligible families.
Eligible families receiving 30-hour funding can use some entitlement for wraparound care; families without that eligibility can pay for it. Breakfast Club starts at 08:00 and After School Club finishes at 17:30, with club bookings made through the Arbor Parent App. Obtain current charges from the school.
Nursery children may wear school uniform, with joggers, leggings and trainers encouraged for movement and independent dressing. Each child receives a school book bag when starting. For enquiries or to arrange a visit, contact the school office on 01228 560399 or admin@gtcorby.cumbria.sch.uk.
Children can join from the term after their third birthday.
Yes. Half days run from 08:50 to 12:00 or from 12:00 to 15:20. A school day runs from 08:50 to 15:20.
The nursery offers the universal 15-hour entitlement for three and four year olds and 30-hour funding for eligible families. Those receiving 30-hour funding can use some of it for wraparound care.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and gives no priority in the admission criteria. A separate application is required; the deadline for September 2027 entry is 15 January 2027, through Cumberland's local authority application route.
Nursery children are welcome to wear school uniform. Practical clothes that support movement, personal care and independent dressing are encouraged, including joggers, leggings and trainers.
