St Cuthbert's Nursery, Chester-le-Street

Daily White Rose Maths lessons and outdoor number play give this nursery a clear mix of taught learning and exploration. It is the nursery class within St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School in Chester-le-Street, serving children aged three and four. For 2025–2026, provision was for 52 part-time or 26 full-time places. Those are alternative patterns of provision, rather than a combined total.

Catholic faith shapes the wider school's character. The school describes faith, trust and service as values for daily life, giving families a sense of the ethos surrounding the nursery. Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Good at the inspection on 12 and 13 October 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school.

Mathematics has a daily taught slot, using White Rose Maths. Children also explore patterns, how numbers are made up and number facts through activities in both the classroom and the outdoor learning area. This gives them opportunities to try mathematical ideas beyond the core lesson.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the curriculum framework. Its Understanding the World learning brings together people, places and nature: children discuss family experiences, explore their surroundings and notice changes in seasons and weather. Stories, visitors and role play introduce different communities and occupations. For a young child, this connects learning with familiar experiences and things they can observe.

Science also develops through play indoors and outside, with topics explored across the year. The emphasis is on practical exploration, observation and questions. These activities sit alongside the daily mathematics teaching, rather than making the nursery day solely a sequence of formal lessons.

Teaching assistant support includes early years. For children with special educational needs or disabilities, class teachers work with the SEND coordinator, develop support plans with parents and organise interventions involving teaching assistants. Support follows a cycle of assessing needs, planning help, putting it into practice and reviewing its effect. Parents take part in reviews each term, giving them a regular opportunity to discuss progress and adjustments.

Communication also includes electronic updates to parents about school life and events. Across the school premises, a ramp provides access to the main hall and toilets, and an accessible toilet is on the ground floor beside the office. These are useful practical details for families with mobility needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. For September 2027 entry, families must make a separate application through their home local authority using the Common Application Form, with a deadline of 15 January 2027.

Attending the nursery gives no additional priority under the 2027–2028 Reception arrangements. Places are allocated through the admission criteria, including faith categories, with exceptional needs and siblings affecting priority within categories. Families should treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.

Morning nursery runs from 08:45 to 11:45. Part-time afternoon pupils attend from 12:15 to 15:15; full-time pupils' afternoon session ends at 14:45. Lunch occupies the 11:45 to 12:15 interval. The different finishing times matter when arranging collection.

For 2025–2026, nursery provision offered 15 or 30 hours, with the 30-hour option restricted to eligible children. Nursery enquiries can be made directly to the school on 0191 388 2305 or at info@stcc.bwcet.com. School term dates differ from Durham County Council's dates, so use the school's calendar when planning family arrangements.