Burton Morewood CofE Primary School Nursery

Wet-weather clothes and outdoor exploration give Burton Morewood’s nursery a practical character. Its purpose-built accommodation sits on the school site beside the Reception classroom, with a large outdoor area for exploring nature whatever the weather. Provision includes two-year-olds, alongside sessions for children aged three and four.

The nursery belongs to a Church of England school, with children joining school activities rather than spending their day entirely apart. Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at its January 2023 inspection. That judgement covers early years, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Free-flow activities let children explore different opportunities for learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum guides their learning; here, stories, spoken sounds and growing independence give parents concrete examples of what that means in practice. Outdoors is part of the offer in wet weather as well as dry, so changing clothes becomes a useful skill alongside exploring nature.

In January 2023, adults helped younger children, including two-year-olds, pronounce sounds correctly. Story reading developed listening, while early-years children quickly learned to change into outdoor clothing themselves. These are small but useful steps: listening to a story, making a sound clearly and managing clothes all ask children to do more for themselves.

Music, PE and collective worship bring nursery children into school life, and they also take part in sports day. Early reading. In January 2023, some early-years take-home books were harder than children’s phonics knowledge allowed. This slowed the development of accurate, fluent reading, making the match between sounds learned and books taken home an important consideration.

A nursery manager works with two nursery assistants and an apprentice teaching assistant. This gives the provision its own team within the wider school, rather than leaving nursery care as an unnamed part of primary teaching.

Hot lunches are available for nursery children. Meals are prepared on site each day, with menus rotating over two weeks; families can order ahead through ScoPay. That provides a practical lunch option alongside the separately charged lunchtime session. After-school club sessions include a snack.

Being next door to Reception creates a physical connection between the classes. The nursery plans the move with the aim of helping children feel comfortable and look forward to their next class. Preparation for that change and admission to Reception are separate matters.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately through the normal school admissions route. Applications can be made through the local authority. For September 2026 entry, the deadline was 15 January 2026; that cycle is now past.

Nursery sessions last three hours, with a separate 30-minute lunchtime session. Many children can receive up to 30 funded hours each week. Paid sessions, lunchtime supervision and hot meals are distinct charges; contact the school for current charges.

For children aged three and over, School’s Out adds breakfast and after-school care during term time, Monday to Friday. Breakfast sessions run from 7:45 to 8:15 and from 8:15 to 8:45. Afternoon options run from 15:15 to 16:30 or 15:15 to 17:15, although the longer option does not run on Fridays. Funded hours can be used towards these clubs. The Friday difference matters when planning a working week.

Request a nursery application form by emailing admin@burtonmorewood.cumbria.sch.uk. School tours can be arranged by calling 01524 781627, giving families a way to see the nursery’s place within the school before choosing it.