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Nursery at Dalton St Mary's CofE 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Weekly themes give this nursery its shape: the Success for All curriculum links children's learning through topics, with space for both adult guidance and their own choices. The nursery occupies a building within the school grounds at Dalton St Mary's CofE Primary School in Dalton-in-Furness. It belongs to a Church of England school.
The teaching-group list records 19 nursery pupils, a class roll rather than a measure of available places. Children work as individuals, with a partner, in small groups and together as a class. That gives the day several different ways to take part.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together communication, early mathematics, physical development, creativity and learning to get along with others. Here, topics also help children explore the world around them. Success for All supplies weekly nursery themes, while Development Matters guides assessment of children's learning.
Indoor and outdoor provision both support the curriculum. Children can select resources and choose where to work, giving them practical opportunities to make decisions. Art combines activities children initiate with sessions directed by adults: staff demonstrate techniques for children to try independently, or help them develop an idea into a piece of work. Questions and discussion encourage children to think about what they have made.
Traditional stories feature in early-years learning. In January 2023, Ofsted found that children in the early years were comfortable with familiar routines and enjoyed learning and playing alongside friends. Its vocabulary improvement action concerned some pupils in a small number of subjects across the school; it was not identified as a nursery-specific weakness.
For children staying all day, lunch adds a shared routine beyond the nursery building. They eat under supervision in the main hall between 12:00 and 12:30, then return to nursery for the afternoon.
Lunch can be brought from home or ordered as a hot meal. Meals are prepared on site each day, and families with dietary requirements can discuss these with the school office. Full-day attendance carries a lunchtime supervision charge, so the lunch arrangement matters when choosing sessions.
Support for additional needs sits within the school's SEND structure. The SENCO coordinates provision and works with services including Speech and Language Therapy and Educational Psychology. Class teachers share School Support Plans with parents and review them at least twice a year, making families part of decisions about support. The nursery building is accessible to children with physical disabilities.
Parents receive a curriculum newsletter each term. The school's weekly newsletter is also shared through Showbie and Facebook, providing another way to follow school information.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Treat that application as a separate decision from booking nursery sessions.
Preparation and admission are different matters. The school offers children and parents visits before admission. For children with SEND moving between classes, information reaches the next teacher in advance, School Support Plans are shared and a planning meeting usually takes place. This helps carry support into the next classroom.
Morning sessions run from 8:45 to 11:45; afternoons run from 12:15 to 15:15. A 15-hour funded place comprises five mornings or five afternoons. Eligible families can access 30-hour government-funded nursery places. Families using a 15-hour place may request full days when space permits, with additional sessions charged separately.
Additional sessions are paid for in advance or on the morning of attendance. For current charges, contact the school office. Full-day children can bring lunch or order a school meal; the meal and lunchtime supervision arrangements should be considered alongside the session booking.
Enquiries go to the office on 01229 462729 or office@dsmprimary.com. Visits can be arranged by telephone, giving families a direct route to see the setting before choosing it.
Mornings run from 8:45 to 11:45 and afternoons from 12:15 to 15:15.
Yes, subject to available places. Families with a 15-hour funded place can request full days, with additional sessions charged separately.
A 15-hour place covers five mornings or five afternoons. The nursery also offers 30-hour government-funded places for families who qualify.
Full-day children eat under supervision in the main hall from 12:00 to 12:30. They can bring a packed lunch or order a school meal, then return to nursery for the afternoon. Lunchtime supervision is charged.
No. Families need to apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process by the applicable deadline.
