St Stephen's Church of England Primary School Nursery Review

Stories, counting games and a boat built for a favourite toy give St Stephen's nursery its character: learning starts with things young children can handle, discuss and explore. This is the school's own nursery on Hall Lane in Willington, with a nursery building and an outdoor area. Children can start in the term following their third birthday, subject to spaces.

Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Good at its inspection on 1 and 2 February 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery. The nursery teacher also holds the special educational needs coordinator role, bringing nursery teaching and the coordination of additional support together.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum combines learning chosen by children with activities led by adults. A different theme each half term supplies ideas, while children's own interests can change the direction. Teaching time leads into focused work with small groups, alongside longer opportunities to explore. Children have room to pursue an idea as well as learn with an adult.

Talking and learning to manage feelings and relationships receive particular emphasis. Books selected for each half term appear in story sessions, activities and displays that children can use independently. This gives new words a practical purpose: children encounter them in a story, then use them when retelling it. In February 2024, early years children were engaged in activities involving props and problems to solve, with stories a substantial part of their learning environment.

Nursery maths uses songs, games, rhymes and objects to handle. Counting includes matching a number to each object, practising the sequence and understanding how many objects there are altogether. The focus on handling objects helps children count each item once. Elsewhere in EYFS, making a boat for a favourite toy is one example of testing materials and ideas. Learning is planned for both the outdoor classroom and the indoor space, giving exploration a place in each.

Settling begins before the first regular day. EYFS starters have an initial visit accompanied by a parent or carer, visits during the summer term and a gradual start to nursery in September. Staff also gather information from families and previous settings before children begin, so planning starts with the child's existing experiences.

For children with SEND, the school's support process moves through assessment, planning, putting help into practice and reviewing it. Parents contribute to support plans, with termly opportunities to meet the special educational needs coordinator. Possible help includes small-group work, speech and language support and learning in areas with fewer distractions when needed. These are individual arrangements, rather than a fixed package for every child.

Physical access. The Spring 2024 Accessibility Plan records a step at the nursery's main entrance and another at the rear door to the outdoor area, with adaptations to be reviewed if needed. Families using a wheelchair should factor these entrances into their assessment of the setting.

A February 2024 school-wide improvement requirement concerned checking the effects of curriculum changes consistently, including SEND provision. It provides useful context when discussing how a child's support is reviewed.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place or confer priority under the admission criteria set out on the school's admissions page. Families must make a separate Reception application through Durham County Council's online admission system and meet the normal application deadline. Familiarity with the school is separate from the allocation of a place.

Transition within school includes Move Up Day, when children meet their next teachers and become familiar with their next classroom. This supports the change of surroundings; it is not an admissions advantage.

The nursery timetable runs from 8:45am to 2:45pm. That earlier finish matters for families coordinating collection with the rest of the school day.

Nursery application forms can be obtained from the office or downloaded and returned to school. A receipt confirms that details have been recorded, but does not promise a place or the family's preferred arrangement. For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 01388 746 426, email ststephensce@durhamlearning.net or use the contact-page form.