Town Field Primary School Nursery Review

Little Owls puts friendship and exploration first: Town Field’s Foundation 1 children learn through play, with opportunities to explore inside and outside. The nursery says it aims to encourage creativity throughout that learning. This is the school’s own nursery provision, on Thorne Road in Doncaster, giving families a school setting for their child’s early learning.

Playing together and making friends shape the Little Owls approach. Indoor and outdoor exploration gives children different surroundings to investigate, while creativity is an explicit aim. The emphasis is on learning alongside other children, rather than treating play and learning as separate activities.

Home learning has a simple point of connection: families can share counting rhymes with their child. These include Five little ducks went swimming one day and Five little monkeys jumping on the bed. Familiar songs give parents something concrete to enjoy together beyond the classroom.

Settling begins with opportunities for children and parents to spend time together in Early Years. Stay and play sessions, meeting teachers and exploring the classroom form part of the introduction, alongside gradual visits to become familiar with routines. That gives children a chance to get to know the people and surroundings before their start.

For additional needs, the school’s Inclusion Team works with families as well as staff and pupils. Early planning can involve visits, conversations with the special educational needs coordinators and advice from other professionals. Parents can discuss concerns with the class teacher or contact the coordinators by telephone or email.

Support is organised around assessing needs, planning help, putting it into practice and reviewing it. SEN Support Plans are reviewed each term with families. Where specialist input is needed, the school works with professionals including speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and educational psychologists. This gives parents a defined process for discussing concerns and revisiting the support their child receives.

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. Doncaster Council manages applications to Town Field, so choosing Little Owls should be considered separately from securing a later school place.

Preparation for a new class is a different matter. For children with SEN, the school provides additional classroom visits and social stories. Personalised transition booklets can show the next teacher and classroom, with learning topics included for families to discuss during the holidays. These arrangements help make a change familiar; they do not establish an admissions advantage.

Contact the school office on 01302 368192 or email admin@townfield.doncaster.sch.uk for nursery enquiries. Families can also contact the school to arrange a visit, giving them an opportunity to discuss the provision in person.

The school uniform includes navy or red cardigans and sweatshirts, a white polo shirt, and grey or black skirts or trousers. Logos are optional on the polo shirt and sweatshirt or cardigan. Pre-owned items are kept in the school reception area and families can take clothing their child can use, free of charge.