Stoke Heath Primary School Nursery Review

Stories shape the learning at Stoke Heath: nursery themes run for two to three weeks, with a key text giving children something to talk about, explore and revisit through play. This is the school's own nursery provision on Heath Crescent in Coventry, organised into Nursery A for ages two to three and Nursery B for ages three to four.

Nursery A can accommodate 24 children in each morning and afternoon session, subject to staffing. Nursery B has 52 part-time places across its sessions. Both belong to the school's Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), giving younger children a curriculum planned around their stage of development.

Play and adult teaching share the session. Children explore planned activities, join groups that introduce ideas, then return to play to practise them. The EYFS combines learning to communicate, move and manage feelings with early reading, maths, creative work and discovering the world. For parents, that means conversation and physical skills matter alongside recognising numbers or enjoying books.

The curriculum connects successive themes through stories, with learning adapted for each age group. Children develop vocabulary, practise handling tools and explore numbers up to 10. Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised introduces phonics in nursery: the connection between spoken sounds and written words. Nursery B also has an outdoor area with large construction materials, giving building play a physical dimension.

At the June 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that conversation and play with adults and other children developed vocabulary effectively in the two-year-old provision; early-years activities also included counting objects, number rhymes and exploring shapes. The same inspection raised a whole-school concern about teachers sometimes failing to check earlier learning carefully enough, leaving some pupils with knowledge gaps; that concern was not identified specifically as a nursery finding.

Settling starts before the first session. New families have home visits, and induction includes workshops, stay-and-play visits and staggered starts. A settling period also applies to children joining during the year. These steps give children opportunities to become familiar with the setting before taking on their usual attendance pattern.

Parents receive curriculum newsletters each term and can attend two parents' evenings a year, where floor books show children's learning. Staff are available for conversations at the start and finish of the day. For children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), the early-years approach includes considering specialist help, working with parents and involving outside services where appropriate.

Fruit or a bagel is provided as a light snack, with milk and water to drink. Children attending lunchtime bring a packed lunch. The school also has a Family Centre offering workshops and help with transitions and uniform, extending the support available to families beyond nursery sessions.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Coventry City Council's Common Application Form, following the normal application timetable. Nursery attendance is not included in the Reception priority criteria on the school's admissions page, so it does not confer priority under those arrangements.

Transition activities are a separate matter. Within the EYFS, incoming teachers spend time playing and sharing stories with children, and children visit their next classroom. Extra visits are planned for children with SEND. Floor books move with the children, while staff pass assessment information to the next teacher. This helps the receiving team connect new learning with familiar experiences.

Morning nursery runs from 8:30am to 11:30am; afternoons run from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. Nursery B's standard pattern is five mornings or five afternoons. Longer sessions incorporating lunch and an all-day option are also offered. Limited additional care places are available, and 30-hour provision for Nursery A is considered individually.

The school's funding information describes 15 hours a week over 38 weeks for three- and four-year-olds, starting from the term after the third birthday; two-year-old funding depends on eligibility. For eligible families using 30 funded hours, the covered day runs from 8:30am to 2:30pm, Monday to Friday, with a charged extension to 3:15pm. Contact the school office for current charges and nursery enquiries: admin@stokeheath.coventry.sch.uk or 02476 454741.

Willows accepts nursery children for breakfast and after-school care, booked by individual day, subject to availability. Uniform is required; generic red jumpers or cardigans are accepted. Tell staff who will collect your child, and telephone changes to that arrangement by midday.