West Street Community Primary School Nursery Review

A pirate ship, a mud kitchen and room for wheeled toys give West Street’s nursery an outdoor character. Children aged three and four belong to the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with their own nursery class within a Foundation Unit that also includes Reception. Shared outdoor and snack spaces bring the two classes together while retaining provision for each age group.

There is an important qualification to that picture. Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Requires improvement at the inspection on 1 and 2 April 2025. This judgement covers early years as a whole, rather than a separately inspected nursery. Children settled promptly into familiar routines, but the teaching did not consistently help them consolidate learning across the curriculum.

Play combines activities chosen by children with tasks guided by adults. The EYFS is the framework for this early learning: here, that means opportunities to talk, explore, move and practise emerging reading skills indoors and outside. Each child has an individual learning journey containing photographs and records of achievements, giving staff a record of development over time.

Supersonic Phonic Friends provides a named approach to early sounds. Nursery uses its Firm Foundations planning, with daily phonics lessons lasting 30 minutes. Listening to environmental sounds, exploring rhythm and rhyme, and joining sounds together orally prepare children for reading. In April 2025, songs and traditional stories helped early years children develop language and recognise sound patterns.

Outdoor learning has concrete places to happen. The secure EYFS area includes a construction space, gardening opportunities and a creative stage, alongside the pirate ship and mud kitchen. This gives children scope to build, pretend and investigate beyond their classroom.

Past nursery activities show how those spaces and resources have been used. In September 2023, children built towers with Duplo, compared sizes and experimented with coloured water using pipettes and jugs. During September 2024, they made dens and practised taking turns on wheeled toys. These are practical opportunities to use language and cooperate. Consolidating learning. In April 2025, early years children needed more consistent practice, especially in forming letters and numbers correctly. Families should weigh the activities alongside that concern about securing basic skills.

Settling involves learning routines and beginning friendships. September 2024 nursery activities included self-portraits, family conversations and The Colour Monster, with children discussing different feelings. A class journal documented learning each week and parents could look through it, offering a concrete way to share in the nursery day.

Food also becomes an activity. That September, children sampled fruits, prepared fruit salad and practised cutting safely. Before a child starts, families provide details of allergies, dietary needs and health requirements. Written permission is requested for other adults to collect a child, making collection arrangements part of the preparation.

For additional needs, the school’s SENCO can be contacted through the office, with appointments available. Early years staff work together and share knowledge of children’s needs and abilities; this is useful continuity as children move between classes.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. A separate application must go through Lancashire County Council, which manages Reception admissions. Parents need to complete that application by the deadline for their child’s entry year; the school can help with the online form.

Classroom familiarity is a separate benefit. Nursery children can join activities in the Reception classroom, and early years staff work together. This gives children experience of the next classroom and its activities, but it does not replace the admissions application.

Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoon sessions run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. The nursery offers both 15 and 30 hour funded places, subject to eligibility. Children can start from the school term after their third birthday, with intakes each half term.

For an enquiry or visit, telephone the school office on 01282 865840. Nursery applications are handled by the school: request a form from reception, return it completed and the nursery lead will contact you about a start date. Nursery sweatshirts and cardigans are purple. Label clothing and bags with your child’s name and class so belongings can be identified.