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Nursery at Duke Street Nursery School
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A smaller building for two-year-olds, a mud kitchen and a wild garden give Duke Street its character: children have space to investigate, with adults following their interests. This maintained nursery school in central Chorley caters for children aged two, three and four. The Lodge houses the youngest children; the Hub is the preschool environment.
Qualified teachers work alongside practitioners trained to at least Level 3. For families, the distinction is practical: early education happens through play, with teaching woven into children's conversations and discoveries.
Small-group circle time, a sociable snack, free-flow play and a closing story give sessions their shape. Timings remain flexible around children's needs. During free-flow time, practitioners extend children's ideas through In The Moment Planning; targeted learning and speech and language work also take place. Younger children join active singing, including Jelly on a Plate with actual jelly.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) covers seven learning areas. Here that means learning to communicate, manage feelings and move confidently alongside early reading, mathematics, creative work and discoveries about the world. Red Rose Phonics is the phonics scheme. The Curiosity Approach shapes the environment, while the Hanen approach guides adults in matching communication to individual children. These approaches give purposeful teaching a place within child-led play.
Physical spaces make that approach tangible. The Lodge is purpose-built and smaller than the main nursery, with indoor and outdoor opportunities for large movements. In the Hub, plants, subdued lighting and soft furnishings sit alongside natural resources and spaces for individual or shared exploration. Outside, the mud kitchen and wild garden offer changing textures, slopes and tucked-away spaces. Outdoor learning continues in wet and cold weather, so suitable clothing matters.
Story sessions revisit a book over a week, sometimes two when interest continues. Children discuss it, explore unfamiliar words and return to it independently or with friends. A lending library in the nursery reception area extends reading into home life.
Settling starts with a half-hour Stay and Play visit for parent and child. A home visit and/or meeting with the child's key worker follows, before a phased start. Familiarity builds before the full routine begins. Tapestry shares photographs, assessments and targeted plans with families, who can contribute experiences from home; meetings with the class teacher take place twice yearly.
The Nest opened in October 2024. It provides higher staffing ratios, staff trained in sensory processing and individual Targeted Learning Plans. A sensory room, trampoline and soft play give children different ways to move, investigate or settle. Two family support workers serve Duke Street and Highfield, helping with practical and emotional needs. At the July 2024 inspection, children with SEND benefited from early identification and prompt support, and safeguarding arrangements were effective.
Food arrangements are straightforward. Breakfast Club includes cereal, yoghurt, toast and fruit, with milk or water. Lunch Club requires a packed lunch from home. Session snacks include fresh fruit and bread. Families therefore prepare lunch rather than relying on a cooked meal.
Duke Street children move to several primary schools locally and further afield. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place: families must make a separate primary school application through the normal admissions process by the applicable deadline. The nursery office offers appointments to help parents complete the online application.
Transition support is separate from allocation. Children's work and progress information are passed to their primary school at the end of their final summer term, giving the receiving school information about their learning.
Opening is Monday to Friday during term time, with the core nursery day running from 8:45am to 3:30pm. Sessions can be booked flexibly. Breakfast Club starts at 8am, or 8:15am for two-year-olds because of staffing ratios, and finishes at 8:45am. Lunch Club runs from 11:45am to 12:30pm.
From the term after their third birthday, children qualify for 15 funded hours weekly across 38 weeks. Eligible families can access 30 hours, and funding routes also cover eligible two-year-olds. Sessions beyond funded hours, or for children without funding, can be paid for. Contact the school for current charges.
Uniform is optional; practical clothes with manageable fastenings support independence and messy play. Collection is restricted to parents or authorised named people. For enquiries, call 01257 262430 or email bursar@dukestreet-nur.lancs.sch.uk. Families can visit without an appointment.
The nursery caters for children aged two, three and four, with two-year-olds based in the Lodge.
No. A separate primary school application is required. The nursery office can arrange help with completing the online application.
Lunch Club requires a packed lunch from home. It runs from 11:45am to 12:30pm.
Families attend a half-hour Stay and Play session, followed by a home visit and/or meeting with the key worker. Children then begin through a phased admission programme.
No. Uniform is optional. Practical clothing that children can manage themselves is encouraged, along with clothing suitable for outdoor play.
