St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Consett: Nursery Review

In February 2025, early-years play at St Patrick's included scoring with bean bags and hoops; nursery adults encouraged children to compare objects' dimensions. The nursery belongs to the Catholic primary school on Stanley Street in Consett, where the school's age range begins at three. Its trust is Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust. For parents, the clearest picture of the provision is learning through play, with adults helping children put mathematical ideas into words.

In February 2025, early-years children explored addition and number comparisons through play. Nursery adults prompted children to describe objects by their height, size and length. This connects the words children hear with things they can handle and compare, giving mathematical language a purpose beyond repeating it back to an adult.

Outdoor learning provided another concrete example: children aimed bean bags at hoops, then discussed how their scores compared. Movement and number work came together. The activity gave children something immediate to count and a reason to explain the difference between results. These examples show how play can carry both mathematical ideas and conversation.

Behind classroom practice sits the trust's central education team, which visits its schools to provide training and support tailored to them. Subject network meetings give staff opportunities to develop their subject knowledge. That is a structure for supporting teaching across the trust, rather than a separate activity on a child's nursery timetable.

Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust identifies early recognition of additional needs and allocating more support to those with greater needs as principles of its SEND approach. It aims to adapt learning to each child's needs. For a nursery family, that makes the child's individual starting point the relevant focus, rather than expecting every child to approach an activity in the same way.

Classroom teachers hold responsibility for SEND provision within the trust's approach, supported by guidance from its central education team. Planning, teaching, assessment and evaluation form a continuing cycle. This connects decisions about additional support with classroom learning, while keeping responsibility with the adults teaching the children.

Attending St Patrick's nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Treat that application as a distinct step when planning your child's next year: choosing the nursery and obtaining a school place are separate decisions. Nursery attendance should never be treated as an assurance of admission.

The school is at Stanley Street, Consett, DH8 6LN, and its telephone number is 01207503982. This is the school site associated with the nursery provision. For families considering the location, use that address when planning the journey; the trust's headquarters is a separate address and should not be confused with the child's school site.