Garton-on-the-Wolds Primary School Nursery Review

At the June 2024 inspection, Garton's youngest children used scooters and bikes on a sloping playground to develop balance. Physical learning has a clear place alongside stories and early number work. The nursery belongs to Garton-on-the-Wolds Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School on Station Road.

At the inspection on 5 and 6 June 2024, Ofsted rated the school's early years provision Good. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Play provides the starting point for learning. Children choose between curriculum areas, while adults extend their thinking through questions, conversation and demonstrations. Planning draws on children's interests and what they can already do, so activities connect new learning with familiar experiences.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together emotional development, communication and physical skills with early reading, mathematics, creative work and exploring the world. Indoor and outdoor experiences are linked. That gives children different ways to investigate an idea, rather than making learning depend entirely on sitting inside.

RWI phonics begins in Nursery. Stories sit alongside poems and rhymes, with listening and remembering forming part of early reading. Parents are encouraged to read with children and listen to the stories children tell themselves. Creative learning includes dance, making art, music and imaginative role-play, giving children ways to express ideas beyond words.

Number work has practical applications. In June 2024, early years children used their visual class register to tackle calculations within 10; adults checked understanding through careful questioning. Children were achieving well in early years. Outdoors, riding bikes and scooters on the playground's slope provided a different challenge: controlling movement and maintaining balance.

Knowing each child's home experiences helps shape their learning. Staff build this understanding through conversations with parents, observation and interaction with children. Adults record moments that show a new skill or progress, then share the next steps across the team. This makes individual development part of planning rather than an occasional checkpoint.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), teaching is adapted and staff work with families and other agencies. Children at Graduated Response 2 or 3 have an Individual Termly Support Plan developed with parents and involved agencies. At Graduated Response 1, support includes extra differentiation and help within the classroom. The SEND coordinator monitors progress, with further assessment or support sought where progress is poor.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the applicable deadline. Treat choosing nursery and securing a school place as separate decisions: familiarity with the setting is not an admission entitlement.

The school office handles enquiries, and school visits can be arranged by telephone on 01377 253110 or by emailing garton@eastriding.gov.uk. The address is Station Road, Garton-on-the-Wolds, YO25 3EX. A visit offers families a chance to discuss their child's needs alongside seeing the setting's learning spaces.