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Nursery at Howden-le-Wear Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Child-chosen play and carefully introduced maths give Howden-le-Wear’s nursery its character. Provision covers two-year-olds as well as children aged three and four, within the school’s Lower Early Years Foundation Stage. Morning and afternoon intakes give the nursery its own session structure. Ofsted graded early years provision Good following the inspection on 17 and 18 June 2025; that judgement covers early years within the school.
Play has two distinct roles here. Children choose activities and direct their own play, while adults watch, respond and introduce resources to develop an interest further. Adults also organise activities with particular learning goals, bringing children into areas they might otherwise overlook. A kitchen play area and sandpit are examples of spaces where children can combine resources and ideas.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together seven learning areas. Language, movement and emotional development come first, alongside early literacy, maths, creative work and exploration of the world. In everyday terms, children practise conversations, build relationships, move their bodies and investigate materials. Activities are adapted to individual needs rather than expecting everyone to progress at one pace.
Songs, repeated stories and rhymes support vocabulary. Books encourage interest in reading, while shapes, quantities and patterns become part of play. Children also experiment with materials and explore the natural world. These give adults concrete opportunities to extend both language and understanding.
Maths has a deliberate rhythm. In June 2025, early mathematical ideas were introduced in manageable steps, with further opportunities during the day to revisit them. Children had time to practise. That repetition helped them retain what they learned.
Settling was a positive early-years finding in June 2025: children joining Nursery adjusted quickly. A Nursery Lead Practitioner, with higher-level teaching assistant status, works within an early-years structure that also includes an Early Years Lead.
The trust’s approach to early-years SEND gives a key person responsibility for monitoring development alongside parents and the SENCo. At school level, support follows a cycle of assessing needs, planning help, putting it into practice and reviewing progress. Individual Support Plans make the intended outcomes explicit. Parents participate in termly reviews, so support can change as a child’s needs develop.
Seesaw, telephone conversations and termly parent evenings provide routes for discussing progress. Before a child starts, families are asked for dietary, allergy and health information. Nursery learning also includes healthy food choices, handwashing and increasing independence with toileting: care routines become practical learning opportunities.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the local authority’s normal process, using the Common Application Form online or on paper. Durham County Council’s Parent Portal is the online route. Treat that application as a separate decision from booking nursery provision.
For children with SEND moving between classes, information and Support Plans pass to the next teacher in advance. A planning meeting usually takes place, and a book explaining the change can be made where it would help. This supports familiarity and continuity of care; it is separate from allocation of a place.
Nursery enquiries go directly to the school office. Families can collect paper application forms there, and the early-years lead or office team contacts them before their child is due to begin.
Free Play and Learn spaces are offered, alongside 30 hours’ free childcare for eligible families. Eligibility matters when planning attendance. Contact the office on 01388 763 287 or email admin@howdenprimary.co.uk to request a nursery place.
It provides for two-year-olds and for children aged three and four.
Yes. The nursery has morning and afternoon intakes.
Activities develop language, movement, relationships, early literacy, maths, creativity and understanding of the world. Children take part in both activities they choose and play organised by adults.
No. Families must apply separately through the local authority’s normal Reception application process.
Contact the school office on 01388 763 287 or at admin@howdenprimary.co.uk. Paper application forms can be collected from the office.
