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Nursery at Black Firs Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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 purpose-built EYFS building shared with Reception gives Black Firs Pre-School a clear connection to the next stage of school life. Its main focus is the year before Reception, although places for two-year-olds were announced on 22 September 2025. The nursery belongs to Black Firs Primary School on Longdown Road in Congleton.
The emphasis is on play, conversation and becoming familiar with school routines. Children also use the main school building for lunch, assemblies and special occasions, so their experience extends beyond the nursery space.
Children have time to pursue their own interests alongside activities that adults plan and lead. Black Firs calls this balance a play sandwich. Indoor and outdoor learning areas allow children to explore and apply skills, rather than spending the session on one kind of task.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) starts with communication, physical development and learning to manage feelings and relationships. Literacy, mathematics, expressive arts and understanding the world sit alongside those foundations. For parents, this means that talking, moving and learning to play with others are part of the curriculum, rather than extras around formal learning.
ShREC gives adult conversations a specific structure: staff notice a child's focus, respond to it, add language and leave time for a reply. A child's brief comment can become a longer exchange. Children can also use ICT toys, a computer and a large touchscreen, giving them practical ways to explore technology.
Rhymes and singing supported nursery children's language development in October 2022. Early-years children also sustained their attention and listened closely to adults at that time. These are useful foundations for joining group activities. Everyday health learning includes teeth, handwashing and healthy food, with visits involving doctors and dentists adding another connection to life beyond nursery.
Each child has a key person who helps them settle, develops a relationship with the family and adapts care to individual needs. Progress is shared through a Class Dojo portfolio and a termly Spotlight. Photographs, videos and examples of activities give parents something concrete to discuss with staff.
The team includes an early-years lead, a pre-school teacher with SENCO responsibilities and teaching assistants. All pre-school staff hold childcare and paediatric first-aid qualifications and continue their professional training. The key-person arrangement sits within a team approach: other staff also get to know children's interests and preferences.
For children needing additional help, the nursery draws on speech therapists and specialist early-years advisers. Support is subject to the teaching resources available; when needs exceed those resources, specialist education services are approached with parents consulted. Lunch takes children into the school building each day, and a lunch club is also offered.
Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Cheshire East Admissions, with applications due in January of the year their child would start. Keep that application separate from any nursery booking.
Familiarity is built through shared play with Reception children and regular contact with their teaching team. In the summer term, children preparing to start school join more organised activities, including PE. Those experiences introduce people and routines; they do not secure admission.
Morning sessions run from 8:45 to 11:45, while afternoons run from 12:45 to 15:20. There are ten sessions each week. Black Firs encourages a minimum booking of two days or four sessions so children can build relationships and learn the routine.
Session availability. Full-time places cannot be guaranteed, and bookings may be reconsidered in April to accommodate additional children preparing for Reception. Families needing full-time care should account for that possibility; the nursery works with other providers when children attend two settings.
Children can claim 15 funded hours from the term following their third birthday; eligibility may allow 30 hours. To join the waiting list, return the completed application pack to the school office by email, post or hand delivery. The contact is office@black-firs.co.uk or 01260 272935.
No. A separate application through Cheshire East Admissions is required, with applications due in January of the starting year.
Morning sessions are 8:45 to 11:45. Afternoon sessions are 12:45 to 15:20. A lunch club is also offered.
Each child has a key person who helps them become familiar with the setting and builds a relationship with their parents or carers.
Parents can access a Class Dojo portfolio containing photographs, videos and activity examples, alongside a termly Spotlight.
Children can claim 15 hours from the term after their third birthday. Those who qualify may be entitled to 30 hours.
