Manor Park Primary School Nursery Review

A double-decker reading bus and outdoor play with scooters, logs and construction toys give Manor Park’s early years provision its character. Books, movement and conversation all have a place here. The nursery takes children aged 3 to 5, with 78 places within Manor Park Primary School on Ulverscroft Road, Coventry.

Two classes sit within the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Each has a qualified early years teacher, supported by nursery staff. Teachers, nursery nurses and support staff work together, giving the provision a teaching and care team rather than a single classroom role.

Learning begins with the skills children need to take part: listening, speaking, managing feelings and getting along with others. The EYFS curriculum connects these with play, early literacy, creative activity and discovering how the world works. Stories and rhymes introduce vocabulary, while structured phonics sessions give children practice with sounds. Read Write Inc is named on the nursery page alongside resources for families.

Play extends outdoors. The early years area includes climbing equipment, bikes and scooters, tyres to step over and logs for balancing. Construction toys introduce bigger building tasks; digging, raking, pouring and mixing provide other ways to explore materials and movement. Indoors and outdoors, threading activities, pegs, tweezers and mark making exercise the smaller movements children use when handling tools and pencils. These are practical activities with a developmental purpose.

The double-decker reading bus serves early years children as well as younger primary pupils. Classroom books provide another route into stories. Staff observe children’s play and learning, then plan subsequent experiences around their individual development, so the curriculum takes account of what a child can already do.

At the March 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that early years children were developing social skills, familiarity with routines and their ability to communicate. Planning was shifting towards clearer learning aims rather than concentrating mainly on activities. That distinction matters: an enjoyable task also needs a purpose for the child’s learning.

Fruit with milk or water is offered in both morning and afternoon sessions. Children attending full time can bring a packed lunch, or families can book a school meal for an additional charge. This gives parents a choice about lunch while keeping snacks part of the session routine.

Staff share nursery learning snapshots through Seesaw, creating a link between classroom experiences and home. The nursery also welcomes questions and concerns through the school office. For additional needs, the school’s SEND team works with outside agencies and provides individual and small-group support across the school. Its pastoral team supports families through Early Help. These are school resources, with support for an individual child shaped around their needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. The school directs families to Coventry City Council for admission procedures. Treat that application as a separate step when planning your child’s next year, even if they already attend the nursery.

Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoons run from 12:45pm to 3:45pm. A full day runs from 8:45am to 3:45pm. Eligible families can use either 15-hour or 30-hour funding across combinations of these sessions. For eligible families using 30-hour funding over five days without additional hours charges, the funding model runs from 9:45am to 3:45pm.

CHAMPS extends nursery care from 7:30am to 8:45am and from 3:45pm to 6:00pm. Additional nursery hours and school meals carry charges; contact the school for current charges. Applications go through the Nursery Admissions form. General enquiries can be sent to admin@manorpark.coventry.sch.uk or made by calling 02476501736.