Northwood Primary School Nursery

Conversation, stories and early number work give Northwood’s nursery its clearest character. This is the nursery within Northwood Primary School in Darlington, on Pendleton Road South. Its learning sits within the school’s early years provision, with communication and literacy receiving attention from the beginning.

In March 2024, children in early years learned classroom routines and how to show kindness to others. Those are practical foundations for a nursery day: understanding what happens next and learning to share a classroom with other children.

Talking is part of the learning itself. In March 2024, adults engaged nursery children in conversations with a clear learning purpose, alongside phonics work. This connects speaking and listening with the beginnings of reading, rather than treating conversation simply as time between activities.

Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised is the school’s phonics programme, taught daily in early years. In plain parent language, phonics connects sounds with their written forms and teaches children how sounds combine into words. Shared stories also happen daily. Children can discuss meaning and build vocabulary while an adult does the reading, giving them something to think and talk about before they can read independently.

Number Sense Programme forms part of the early years mathematics approach. Across the school, mathematical ideas are explored using objects children can handle and pictures alongside more abstract representations. The intention is to establish understanding before introducing further concepts, making the meaning of numbers the focus rather than just the answer.

Outdoor Classroom Day brings a full day of outdoor learning across the school each year. It gives learning beyond the classroom a named place in the school calendar.

Kindness is one of Northwood’s named virtues, alongside Courage and Resilience. The school aims to help children contribute their ideas, learn from mistakes and seek help when something is difficult. For a nursery child, those aims connect social confidence with learning to persevere.

Medical arrangements require planning with parents. Prescribed medicines can be administered only after the paperwork is complete, where administration during school hours is essential and the parent or carer cannot come in to give the medicine. These conditions make agreement about care responsibilities important before medication is needed during a session.

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 choosing a nursery session and applying for a school place as separate decisions.

Morning sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoon sessions run from 12.15pm to 3.15pm. Each has a defined start and finish, allowing families to plan the nursery session around other commitments.

For enquiries, contact the school on 01325 267 222 or email admin@northwoodprimary.org.uk. The address is Pendleton Road South, Darlington, DL1 2HF; use DL1 2HE for satnav.