Newker Primary School Nursery

Learning to listen, work together and share discoveries gives Newker’s nursery its character. In May 2025, children in the nursery listened attentively, enjoyed working with one another and responded happily to adults. Those are useful foundations for a child beginning group learning.

The nursery occupies the Newker Primary School site on Waldridge Road in Chester le Street and offers places from a child’s second birthday. Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 7 and 8 May 2025. That judgement covers early years within the school.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum combines learning with social development and growing independence. Activities can be adjusted to a child’s abilities and pace, so learning can be adapted to each child’s needs.

Art gives a concrete example of the approach. Across the Foundation Stage, children choose some activities themselves and join others guided by adults. They investigate how materials feel and move, experiment with colour and practise handling simple tools. Making choices about materials gives them a practical way to express ideas.

Reading also has a clear place in early learning. In May 2025, children across early years enjoyed beginning to read and showed enthusiasm for books. Alongside this, their willingness to share discoveries and develop habits of learning together gives the curriculum a social dimension.

The wider school grounds contain a mud kitchen, sand play and areas for den building within the OPAL play programme. These are features of the school’s outdoor provision, rather than a description of a nursery-only play area.

For children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), support follows a cycle of assessing needs, planning help, putting it into practice and reviewing progress. Individual SEND Support Plans describe each child’s needs, with parents involved in the process. Plans and short notes are shared with families each term, giving parents a regular opportunity to discuss targets and support.

RWI and NELI are among the additional early years interventions. The school’s wider communication support includes communication boards, Makaton and advice from Speech & Language Therapy. Support is matched to individual needs; these are options rather than a programme every nursery child follows.

A disabled toilet and specialist furniture form part of the school’s accessibility provision. Families whose children have SEND and require additional access may use the school car park.

Equality and diversity. In May 2025, learning about equality and diversity needed more effective implementation across all year groups. This was a school-wide improvement action, relevant to the broader provision nursery families are joining.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the Durham Local Authority website, following the normal application timetable. Choosing this nursery therefore needs to be a decision about the nursery experience itself, with the Reception application treated as another step.

Most children attend for 15 government-funded hours each week, arranged as five morning sessions. An additional 15 funded childcare hours are offered to parents who meet the eligibility criteria. The nursery day has a start window of 8.45–9.00am and finishes at 3.15pm; the morning-session pattern and the longer day should be distinguished when arranging attendance.

Nursery applications go directly to the school, and families can book an appointment to look around and meet staff. Contact newker@durhamlearning.net or 0191 388 7099.

For care beyond school hours, Nursery Time- Afterschool Kids Club operates on site as a separate provider, with breakfast and after-school clubs for children aged 2–11. This gives families another childcare option alongside the school nursery.