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Nursery at Framwellgate Moor Primary School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Caterpillars and Butterflies give the youngest children at Framwellgate Moor Primary School two distinct nursery stages. Caterpillars accommodates two-year-olds and children approaching three; Butterflies takes children for their preschool year. Both belong to the primary school in Framwellgate Moor, Durham.
At the Ofsted inspection on 8 and 9 May 2024, early years provision was judged Outstanding. That judgement covers the school's early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery.
Songs, counting and a conversation about feelings give the early years day a purposeful beginning. In May 2024, children also greeted one another and considered the weather. These familiar activities bring language, numbers and emotional understanding into the same daily routine.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines activities directed by adults with learning children initiate themselves. In parent terms, children have opportunities to follow their interests alongside planned teaching. Books introduce learning and help develop vocabulary and understanding; activities take place indoors and outside. Staff work with families to understand children's earlier experiences, giving them a starting point for planning.
Practical exploration has included Butterflies making foil boats, checking materials for waterproofing and testing how many figures their boats could carry. Other nursery activities have involved freeing toy animals from ice and melting chocolate for polar bear biscuits. These examples turn questions about materials and change into things children can handle and test.
Adult interaction is a strength. In May 2024, adults demonstrated tools and activities, introduced vocabulary and extended children's learning through conversation. Children were deeply absorbed in what they were doing.
The nursery team includes a teacher trained in early years, an enhanced teaching assistant working in Butterflies and a room lead for Caterpillars. This gives the two nursery stages their own staffing roles within the wider school team.
For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), parents are asked to discuss identified needs before their child starts, so support can be planned. The school's support includes visual prompts for language delay and additional adults demonstrating learning. Parents can discuss progress with the class teacher or SEND coordinator, with support plans reviewed through meetings and ongoing conversations.
Physical access across the school includes external ramps, two lifts serving the upper hall and accessible toilets with hoists and ceiling tracks. These are useful details for families considering mobility or personal care needs.
Chartwells Schools supplies school dinners and operates a medical diet process. Before admission, families provide information about allergies, dietary preferences and health needs, allowing these requirements to be shared with staff.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal school admissions process, using Durham County Council's primary admissions route and meeting the applicable deadline.
Preparation for the change is a separate matter. Children joining the school are encouraged to attend a transition day that includes lunch in the school hall, with parents invited too. For children with SEND, extra visits and a photobook showing staff or familiar objects can help make the new surroundings easier to recognise. These arrangements support familiarity; they do not secure admission.
Funded provision includes 15 or 30 hours for three-year-olds. Families can check eligibility for the two-year-old 15-hour and three-year-old 30-hour options through Childcare Choices.
Nursery enquiries go through the school, and a nursery application form is available. Contact the office on 0191 386 5400 or email framwellgate.primary@durhamlearning.net. For current charges, contact the school directly.
Caterpillars accommodates two-year-olds and children approaching three. Butterflies is for the preschool year before children begin school.
Learning combines adult-directed activities with children's own exploration, indoors and outside. Butterflies activities have included testing foil boats and exploring ice, freezing and melting.
Yes. Provision includes 15 or 30 hours for three-year-olds. Childcare Choices provides eligibility checks for the two-year-old 15-hour and three-year-old 30-hour options.
Discuss identified needs with the school before your child starts. The class teacher and SEND coordinator provide routes for ongoing conversations and support planning.
No. Families must apply separately through the normal Reception admissions process. Durham County Council provides the primary school admissions route.
