Southbroom Infants' School Nursery Review

Learning about people, places, artists and musicians starts in the Nursery Year at Southbroom Infants' School. That gives this provision a character beyond preparation for school: children begin exploring the world and the differences between people while building their own knowledge.

The nursery sits on the school site in Devizes and caters for two-, three- and four-year-olds. Its classes are Finches and Robins. In June 2025, Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Outstanding. This judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Language is a central strength of the early years foundation stage here. In June 2025, staff were supporting children's speaking and understanding exceptionally well, helping them use those skills to learn across the curriculum. For a young child, the important connection is between communicating and learning: developing language helps them understand more than the words themselves.

Learning follows a deliberate sequence beginning in nursery. Staff work towards clear knowledge goals, with each stage building on what children have already learned. This gives the nursery curriculum direction rather than treating its activities as isolated experiences. Children have foundations to return to as their understanding develops.

People and places around the world are part of that learning, alongside the work of artists and musicians. These subjects introduce children to differences in lives and cultures. The purpose reaches beyond recognising a place or an artwork: children begin learning to appreciate difference.

Language across subjects. The June 2025 inspection also identified a school-wide need for more opportunities to discuss learning and use vocabulary specific to subjects. Families should distinguish that wider improvement point from the explicit strength identified in early years language teaching.

Relationships with families begin in the Nursery Year. In June 2025, these connections helped staff support children as they settled into school. The practical value is personal: settling is supported through relationships with both the child and the adults who know them.

Support for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) also starts in nursery. Staff identify children's needs from the beginning of the Nursery Year, then use resources and adaptations to help them learn. The June 2025 findings described this support as effective. Identifying needs at this stage gives support a place in children's learning from the outset.

The school welcomes conversations with parents through an open-door approach. That provides a direct route for discussing a child alongside the relationships developed during settling.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the relevant deadline. Choosing the nursery should therefore be a decision about the child's nursery experience, with the Reception application treated as a separate step.

Prospective parents can arrange a school tour, and the school office handles questions and enquiries. Contact Southbroom Infants' School on 01380 723184. A tour provides an opportunity to discuss your child with the school before choosing the nursery.