Acorn Nursery at Belton All Saints CofE Primary School

Putting on a coat, clearing away an activity and asking a friend for help with a kite: independence takes a practical form at Acorn Nursery. This is Belton All Saints CofE Primary School’s nursery for children aged 3 and 4, housed in a purpose-built setting and staffed by a qualified teacher and an Early Years Practitioner.

Early years provision was judged Good at the Ofsted inspection on 19 and 20 September 2023. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery. The nursery examples give parents something concrete to consider: children managed familiar tasks themselves and adults helped them develop the language to work with others.

Play and conversation shape the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together children’s communication, physical development and social skills with early literacy, mathematics, creativity and understanding their surroundings. Adults organise activities, children pursue interests of their own, and short carpet sessions provide more direct teaching. This gives the day both structure and room for individual choices.

Indoor and outdoor learning areas are arranged for children to access activities independently. Box modelling and simple tools feature in early years design and technology, giving children practical materials with which to test ideas. Mathematical learning also happens through play, with opportunities to explore measures, shapes and numbers and talk about what they discover.

Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised provides the nursery’s Foundations for Phonics approach. Daily practice combines sounds spoken aloud, alongside stories and rhymes, to develop the listening and language skills used in reading. Music has its own regular place: early years children have a weekly lesson using Charanga, with singing, listening and musical exploration.

In September 2023, adults supported children’s speech through play, stories and songs. Sharing and taking turns were part of this work too. Children exchanged ideas and helped one another with tasks, making social learning part of the activity itself.

The nursery teacher and Early Years Practitioner are the children’s key workers, supporting development and discussing questions or concerns with families. In September 2023, children adapted readily to routines and had reassuring relationships with adults. Those routines helped them become more independent.

Parents can contribute to Early Years Learning Journeys, which bring together pictures, photographs and observations of their child. These shared records connect home experiences with learning in the setting and help future teachers understand the child. Parent workshops also explain ways to support learning at home.

Children attending full time can have a school meal, with dietary needs accommodated. Meals are prepared in the school’s own kitchen; families can discuss dietary requirements with kitchen staff through the office.

For children with SEND, the school’s support process follows Assess, Plan, Do, Review. Families take part in discussions about targets and support, while the SENDCo coordinates provision with staff and outside professionals. Extra visits, meetings and individual transition plans may be arranged where appropriate.

Attending Acorn Nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. North Lincolnshire Council is the school’s admissions authority and provides the application route.

For children with SEND, transition support can include additional visits and meetings when moving into Reception. These arrangements support preparation for the change; they do not secure admission.

Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoon sessions run from noon to 3:00pm. Each lasts 3 hours. The 15-hour funded pattern uses mornings or afternoons across the week. Eligible children using the 30-hour entitlement can attend both sessions, subject to government eligibility rules and a valid code that must be reconfirmed as required.

The school office handles session allocation and availability. Nursery applications use a paper form obtained from the office, and families can arrange a visit there. Contact 01427 872391 or admin.beltonceprimary@northlincs.gov.uk.

Attendance expectations. The school expects 100% attendance from nursery children, while recognising exceptional or unavoidable reasons for absence, including illness and medical issues. Regular absence may lead to a place being withdrawn. Families should take that expectation into account when choosing their weekly pattern.