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Nursery at Westminster Nursery 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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 garden for hunting minibeasts, bikes for outdoor play and classroom stories that become practical activities give Westminster Nursery School its character. Caterpillars and Butterflies are the named classrooms, with learning extending beyond them into the local area.
This nursery school on Nelson Street in Crewe serves children aged two to four. Its SEND information lists 78 pre-school places and 24 places for two-year-olds. These are places, rather than a count of children currently attending.
Classroom play, adult-led group activities, snacks and outdoor time form the session, alongside stories and singing. Qualified teachers plan around the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). For parents, that means developing conversation, movement and relationships alongside early reading, number work, creativity and discovery. Children’s interests help shape what happens next.
The garden supplies material for learning. Caterpillars hunted minibeasts and shaped dough butterflies in June 2026; another activity linked frog-themed art with looking in the pond. Bikes add a different kind of outdoor activity. Indoors, Butterflies used a Shoe Shop role-play area and made models from discarded materials. These examples connect pretend play, making things and exploring living things rather than keeping learning at a table.
Experiences also reach beyond the classrooms. A football coach visits weekly, with activities adapted to include children with differing needs. Butterflies visited local allotments, searching for tadpoles and digging up carrots and potatoes. Such activities give children concrete things to talk about and explore.
The September 2023 inspection found that songs, expressive storytelling and props supported language development, with extra help for children whose communication needed attention. Curriculum consistency. Some learning content and its sequence needed greater precision, while delivery varied between staff. This sometimes restricted children’s progress, making curriculum planning and staff support substantive points for families to consider.
Each child has a key worker from induction, giving families a first contact for learning and concerns. A Learning Journey book records activities and achievements, and key workers share progress each term. The home-school library lets children choose a book, extending story time into family life.
Settling follows the child’s response. Staff comfort children who are upset; if a child becomes very distressed, they telephone parents and ask them to return, then agree the length of the next visit together. Time can then increase gradually. That gives families a practical role in shaping the early sessions.
Snack choices include vegetables and fruit, with water or milk to drink; breadsticks, cheese and toast are among the other foods offered. Children staying for the whole school day through 30 funded hours have a lunch club staffed by the classroom team. For children wearing nappies, parents provide supplies and spare clothing, while staff support toilet-training routines already used at home.
SEND support includes visual timetables, Makaton signs and personalised communication boards. A school-based Speech and Language Therapist works with children who have speech and language difficulties, and an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant can help with feelings and relationships. Ramps and accessible changing facilities provide physical support too.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline.
Transition support concerns the child’s learning and care. Parents are invited to a meeting with the receiving primary school, and a written handover shares achievements, progress and strategies that help their child. This gives the next team useful information; it does not secure admission.
Morning and afternoon groups are listed for both classrooms. The whole-day lunch club applies to children receiving 30 funded hours. A voluntary contribution supports snacks and resources; contact the school for current charges.
Enquiries and visits can be arranged on 01270 560319 or through admin@westminster.cheshire.sch.uk. Toddler Time offers termly activities before enrolment, and a SENCO meeting can form part of a visit for a child with additional needs.
Send clothing suitable for messy play and weather changes, plus a named bag of spares. Parents bring children into the building and collect from the classroom. Parking. There is no off-road parking for families or staff, so allow for the walk along the paved paths from the gates.
Children aged two to four. Its SEND information lists 78 pre-school places and 24 places for two-year-olds.
Activities include riding bikes, exploring the garden, looking for minibeasts and observing the pond. Classroom updates also describe visits to local allotments.
Staff comfort children. If a child becomes very distressed, they telephone parents and ask them to return. Together, they agree how long the next visit should last, increasing time gradually.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions process. Transition meetings and written handovers support the move to primary school, rather than securing admission.
Telephone 01270 560319 or email admin@westminster.cheshire.sch.uk. Families of children with additional needs can arrange to meet the SENCO during their visit.
