Fordwater School, Chichester Nursery Review

At the inspection on 3 and 4 July 2023, children in Fordwater’s early years provision dressed up and acted out stories they had been learning. Dressing up and taking part in familiar tales gives the learning a practical shape: children do something with a story rather than simply hearing it. That is the clearest picture of the nursery day here.

Fordwater School, Chichester has nursery provision and a school intake starting at age 2. Its address is Summersdale Road, Chichester. The nursery sits within a special school serving children and young people with severe and complex learning difficulties. At the July 2023 inspection, every pupil attending the school had an education, health and care plan (EHC plan). This specialist school context matters when considering the provision for a young child.

In July 2023, early years children used costumes and acted out stories they had been learning. Re-enacting the tales helped children remember them. The activity connects listening with participation, giving children another way to engage with the same story. Familiarity has a purpose here: the tale becomes material for an activity, rather than ending when the telling stops.

Fordwater Aims is the school’s named curriculum. Its areas include Creativity, Curiosity, Physical Development and Emotional Wellbeing, alongside Communication, Language, Literacy and Reading. These names give parents a useful vocabulary for thinking about their child’s learning: expression, movement and communication sit alongside engagement with stories. The early years storytelling example puts one concrete activity beside those broader curriculum areas.

For bilingual families, the school shares primary home-learning videos in Polish, Portuguese, Bengali and English. They cover ways parents can support learning at home. Offering the material in several languages makes the advice easier for bilingual parents to access and gives families something practical to use beyond the classroom.

These are resources for parents across the school, rather than a nursery care routine. Their relevance is the link between home and learning: parents can engage with advice in a language that works for them.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Nursery and Reception admission are separate processes, and families must apply again through the applicable admission route by its deadline. Treat the next placement as a separate decision when planning your child’s education.

Reception admission. A nursery place must not be treated as confirmation of a Reception place. Keep the application for the next stage separate from arrangements for nursery attendance.

Enquiries go to the school’s operations or admissions team on 01243 782475 or at office@fordwatersch.co.uk. This is the direct contact route for families considering the nursery. The school address is Summersdale Road, Chichester, PO19 6PP.