St Joseph's Hurst Green Nursery Review

Songs, stories and a first chance to play alongside new classmates give this nursery its character. Nursery provision at St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Hurst Green forms part of the school's Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). It belongs to a Catholic primary school on Whalley Road, rather than operating as a separate setting.

At the inspection on 1 and 2 May 2024, Ofsted graded early years provision Good. The nursery's work with sounds received specific recognition: familiar stories, singing and rhymes gave children a secure starting point for learning to read.

Early learning follows the EYFS, with Development Matters guiding age-related learning and Early Learning Goals marking the destination at the end of the foundation stage. In parent language, this means learning builds towards later skills rather than treating nursery as a collection of isolated activities. The school also aims to develop the Characteristics of Effective Learning, giving attention to how children learn alongside what they learn.

Sound awareness is a concrete example. Children explore sounds through rhyme, song and stories before formal word reading begins. These are purposeful early steps: listening to language and recognising sounds prepare children for later reading.

Counting backwards and making patterns are examples explicitly involving nursery children. Across the wider EYFS, activities include imaginative role play and outdoor physical learning, alongside indoor activities. These give parents a picture of learning that includes movement, number and imagination, rather than only seated tasks.

Settling has included staff visits to children's existing settings, followed by classroom play with parents present. The settling sequence also planned time with the early years team while parents were elsewhere in school. This would introduce a short separation after classroom play together.

The EYFS teacher also holds the SENDCo role, connecting early learning with responsibility for special educational needs and disabilities. Families can discuss additional or medical needs with the SENDCo or headteacher.

Identifying additional needs. In May 2024, the school had inconsistent identification of SEND, sometimes delaying suitable support. A separate school-wide concern involved checks on understanding in some subjects. Families should discuss how staff recognise difficulties and check learning in the nursery.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place or confer priority under the school's admission criteria. Families must make a separate application through the normal online route by the application closing date. Where a supplementary information form is required, it follows the online application and must reach the school by that closing date.

Transition preparation is a separate matter. Transition plans included a practice morning for nursery children and an opportunity to meet other incoming children. Familiarity can help with the change; it does not decide admission.

The school is on Whalley Road, Hurst Green, Clitheroe, BB7 9QJ. Telephone enquiries can be made on 01254826246. For discussions about additional needs, the SENDCo and headteacher are the identified contacts.