The Quinta Primary School Nursery Review

At the May 2023 inspection, two-year-olds at The Quinta were preparing for phonics through songs and rhymes, while preschool children were learning letter sounds. This is the school's own preschool provision on Ullswater Road in Congleton, including provision for two-year-olds. The emphasis changes with the child's stage.

Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Good at the inspection on 16 and 17 May 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school.

A clear sequence divides the preschool day into morning activities, lunch and afternoon activities. Registration is at 9:00, followed by morning activities from 9:05 to 11:20. Preparation for lunch begins at 11:15, and the lunch period runs from 11:20 to 13:00. Afternoon activities then continue until 14:45. For children attending across the day, lunch separates the two main activity blocks.

Early learning includes preparation for reading at different stages. In May 2023, two-year-olds encountered songs and rhymes as preparation for later phonics, while preschool children were learning letter sounds. The distinction matters: the youngest children's introduction begins with listening and rhythm rather than the same letter work as their older peers.

During that inspection, children in early years paid attention to adults and cooperated in both play and learning. They showed curiosity and enthusiasm. Curriculum planning. In May 2023, some subject sequences still needed further development, with improvement required from early years onwards. Families should weigh that concern alongside the positive findings about children's engagement.

Seesaw records children's learning journeys, while School Spider carries the school's main communications. These give families two different points of contact with school life: children's learning and practical messages. Preschool parents' evenings were scheduled for the week beginning 20 October 2025, providing a separate occasion for discussion.

For additional needs, parents can contact SEND@thequinta.cheshire.sch.uk. The school also directs families towards Little Stars Group, which supports children aged 0–5 with or without a diagnosis. That distinction makes the signposting relevant before a diagnosis as well as afterwards.

Medication requires a signed parental consent form and the headteacher's agreement. Medicines must remain in their original pharmacy containers. Families therefore need to complete the consent process before medication can be accepted.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. A separate application is required through the normal local-authority admissions process. Cheshire East residents apply through Cheshire East Council; families living in another English local-authority area apply through their home authority. For September 2026 entry, the deadline was 15 January 2026. That admissions cycle is now past.

Nursery attendance does feature in the oversubscription rules: point 4 requires attendance for at least two days each week over two terms, because the criteria are applied from February. This is conditional priority, rather than an assured place.

For children with SEND moving between classes, information passes to the new teacher and a planning meeting takes place. A transition book can also be made if it would help the child understand the change. These support arrangements are separate from admissions.

Preschool drop-off runs from 8:55 to 9:00, with collection between 14:45 and 15:00. Those windows give parents the practical boundaries for the preschool timetable.

Enquiries go to the school office on 01260 221640 or admin@thequinta.cheshire.sch.uk. School visits can be arranged through the office in advance, including discussion of how the school could meet a child's needs.