Rivacre Valley Primary School Nursery

Butterflies and Grasshoppers give Rivacre Valley's nursery its own identity, with nursery classrooms and an outdoor area in a purpose-built Nursery and Reception building. This is the school's provision for children aged 3 to 4 in Overpool, Ellesmere Port. Children can begin in the term following their third birthday.

Ofsted rated the school's early years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 18 and 19 October 2022. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery. The distinction matters when comparing settings.

Books give the day a clear thread. Across Early Years, Read, Write Inc teaches phonics, helping children connect sounds with written words. EYFS means Early Years Foundation Stage, the framework for children's early learning. Here, that learning includes phonics through Read, Write Inc and a shared collection of books. The EYFS reading spine contains 40 books for the phase, giving children a shared collection of stories to enjoy. Nursery classrooms Butterflies and Grasshoppers sit alongside a nursery outdoor area, providing indoor and outdoor spaces for the provision.

Reading also reaches home. Through the Reading Raffle, children receive two tickets whenever they read at home or complete a booklet activity. At half-term Reading Days, the EYFS reading shop gives them a way to use those tickets. It makes reading together part of a shared activity between home and nursery.

In October 2022, early years activities were shaped around children's learning and needs. Staff understood the order in which learning should develop, and children made very strong progress from different starting points. Rhymes, books and stories were enjoyed by early years children, who also learned and played cooperatively. For parents, that combines purposeful teaching with practice in getting along with others.

Fruit snacks are included. For lunch, children can bring food from home or have a hot dinner comprising a main meal, pudding and drink. Purchased dinners are offered on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; lunch is free on Wednesday and Friday. Those arrangements give families a choice over meals while keeping the free-lunch days distinct.

Parents supply nappies, wipes and suncream. This is a practical part of preparing for nursery, especially for children who still need nappies. Families can contact the school's SEND coordinator at sendco@rivacrevalley.cheshire.sch.uk to discuss special educational needs or disabilities.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application to Cheshire West and Chester through its Reception admissions route, meeting the normal application deadline.

Nursery attendance is not among the school's Reception priority criteria. Catchment residence comes first, followed by siblings, qualifying personal or domestic circumstances, then distance. Sharing a Nursery and Reception building should therefore be understood as a physical arrangement, not an admissions advantage. Keep the Reception application separate from nursery enrolment.

Funded entitlement is offered as 15 or 30 hours each week during term time, over 38 weeks, within Monday-to-Friday hours of 9am to 3pm. Non-funded sessions run from 9am to noon or noon to 3pm; a full day runs from 9am to 3pm. These are distinct booking options for families weighing a shorter session against a full nursery day.

September, January and April are the three nursery intake points. For nursery enquiries and visit appointments, contact the school office on 0151 832 7602 or email sbm@rivacrevalley.cheshire.sch.uk. Ask the school for current charges. Occasional school trips may involve a voluntary contribution, with parents notified for each trip.