Pinhoe Church of England Primary School & Nursery: Nursery Review

Acorns for two-year-olds and Saplings for children aged three and four give Pinhoe’s nursery its own identity within the primary school grounds. Play shapes the learning. The nursery’s capacity, set from September 2025, is 48 children: 15 younger children and 33 in the older age group.

This is the school’s own governor-led provision, with a qualified nursery teacher, practitioners and a separate lead for the two-year-old room. At the Ofsted inspection on 17 and 18 October 2023, early years provision received a Good judgement. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Learning starts with doing. Staff use play to help children explore ideas, then observe their learning and interact with them to decide what comes next. This gives the adult a role beyond supervising an activity: the next step is planned around what a child can already do.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together communication, physical development and learning to manage feelings and relationships. Alongside these foundations, children explore mathematics and literacy, creative expression and the world around them. For parents, these areas connect through learning and exploration in play.

Early language has a concrete place in that approach. In October 2023, adults in early years demonstrated expressive language and encouraged children to try it themselves. Children also practised rhymes through songs involving standing and sitting, bringing movement into music. Opportunities to practise movement skills added another physical element to their learning.

Phase 1 phonics begins in preschool, with FFT Success for All used for phonics across the school. The nursery timetable places lunch at 11:30am and the end of the day at 3pm, giving families two practical anchors for the daily routine.

A teacher leads the nursery team, with oversight from senior early years leadership. The staffing structure also identifies a room lead for the youngest children, so responsibility for their provision has a distinct place within the team.

In October 2023, children in early years adjusted readily to school routines, built friendships and developed warm relationships with adults. Talking about emotions helped them regulate their behaviour. These are useful foundations for children learning to cope with being away from home and spending time alongside others.

Speech and language support includes a therapist working at Pinhoe one day each week, mainly with early years children. The focus is on recognising needs early and arranging support. A speech and language teaching assistant also works with classroom staff and communicates with parents about supporting language at home.

Lunch sits within the nursery day. Devon Norse supplies the school’s meal service, and the menu page includes allergen-aware menus. When children join, families receive a welcome pack covering everyday nursery arrangements and what to bring for their first day.

Attending Pinhoe nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Parents must make a separate school application through Devon County Council, following the local authority’s application timetable. A nursery place and a school place are separate decisions, so families should keep the Reception application on their calendar even while their child attends nursery.

Nursery opening hours are 8:50am to 3pm. Pinhoe offers funded placements of 15 or 30 hours, with the 30-hour funding subject to space. Its funding arrangements include 2gether for eligible two-year-olds and the Early Years Education Grant for three- and four-year-olds; the latter begins in the term following a child’s third birthday. Additional hours can be charged. Contact the school for current charges.

Applications for nursery places go to nursery@cedartreefederation.org. General enquiries can also go through the school office on 01392 467984. Children aged three and four are invited to wear a blue sweatshirt or cardigan with the school logo: the wording makes this an invitation rather than a compulsory nursery uniform.