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Nursery at Cross Lane Primary and Nursery 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Dance, drawing and woodland mud give Cross Lane’s nursery its character. SongDrawing brings together songs, movement, pictures and stories, while Squiggle While You Wiggle starts the physical work of making marks. These are concrete ways for young children to practise expression before formal writing takes over.
The nursery belongs to Cross Lane Primary and Nursery School in Elland, with its own curriculum within the school’s early years provision. Ofsted graded early years Good at the inspection on 25 and 26 April 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.
Learning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Its seven areas combine language, physical skills and social and emotional development with literacy, maths, creative expression and understanding the world. In parent terms, learning to communicate and manage feelings sits alongside early reading and number work. Themes include both adult direction and children’s interests, giving children a part in shaping their learning.
Phase 1 Phonics starts with listening. Children explore sounds made by instruments, their bodies and the environment, alongside rhyme, rhythm and voice sounds. SongDrawing connects storytelling with movement and drawing; Squiggle While You Wiggle uses dance and drawing to develop the movements involved in making marks. The emphasis is on the foundations of reading and writing.
The Woodland adds a distinctive physical setting. Behind the school, within grounds closed to public access, it has a pond edged by a boardwalk, a willow dome and a large mud pit. Early years children make woodland art with found materials, including mud monsters and stick sculptures. This gives creative work a different set of materials and textures to explore.
Curriculum clarity. The April 2023 inspection identified insufficiently precise learning intentions in some early years areas and required clearer content across all seven areas. For families, the important distinction is between an appealing activity and the specific learning it is intended to develop.
Relationships and everyday routines were strengths in early years in April 2023. Staff formed connections with children and families quickly, while routines gave children opportunities to become more independent and persist through difficulties. Regular stories and rhymes supported language development. These findings concern the early years provision as a whole.
A nursery teacher is listed within the early years team. For family support, the school office provides a route to the pastoral team, so parents have a contact beyond classroom conversations. The school building is accessible to wheelchair users, and the office has a hearing aid loop.
Food safety requires cooperation from home. The school asks families to keep foods containing nuts out of children’s bags because some children have nut allergies. Before joining, parents provide dietary and allergy information, special health requirements, emergency contacts and collection arrangements. This makes individual care information part of the preparation for starting.
Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. Calderdale residents apply through Calderdale’s online admissions service; families living elsewhere apply through their home local authority. Treat the nursery choice and the Reception application as separate decisions.
There is curriculum continuity: Squiggle While You Wiggle begins in nursery and continues into Reception. Familiar learning activities can support that next step, but they do not secure admission.
Morning and afternoon nursery sessions are offered. The office team handles enquiries about their times, making it the starting point for planning a session around family commitments.
For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 01422 372614 or email admin@crosslane.calderdale.sch.uk. School visits can also be arranged through the office. Cross Lane’s address is Cross Lane, Elland, HX5 0LP, useful when planning travel for a visit.
The EYFS combines seven areas of learning. Named activities include Phase 1 Phonics, SongDrawing and Squiggle While You Wiggle, with themes shaped by adults and children’s interests.
The school’s Woodland includes a pond with a boardwalk, a willow dome and a mud pit. Early years children use natural materials for woodland art.
Yes. Contact the office team for the nursery’s morning and afternoon session times.
No. A separate Reception application is required. Calderdale residents use Calderdale’s online admissions service; other families apply through their home local authority.
Contact the school office on 01422 372614 or at admin@crosslane.calderdale.sch.uk to arrange a school visit.
