St Nicholas Catholic Primary School Nursery

Morning or afternoon nursery, with clubs at either end of the day: St Nicholas combines short sessions with the option of longer childcare. The nursery serves three- and four-year-olds within the Catholic primary school on Ringswell Avenue in Exeter. There are places for up to 26 children per session.

That flexibility is useful for families balancing a first experience of nursery with work. It also makes the agreed session pattern important: once a place is confirmed, parents sign a contract covering their child's sessions.

Play and exploration shape the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum here. For parents, that means children learn through play and exploration. Stories are a concrete part of that experience: in September 2024, nursery children enjoyed having stories read to them.

The school site includes an orchard and forest provision within substantial grounds. These give the wider school a physical setting for exploring the natural world. They are features to notice on a nursery tour, alongside the spaces used for the sessions themselves.

Teaching needs attention. Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Requires improvement at its inspection on 24 and 25 September 2024. Early years planning was detailed and organised, but staff lacked sufficient training and support to put it into practice effectively. Some activities demanded complex skills before children had secured the basics. For families, the important distinction is between the curriculum plan and how adults help children learn from it.

Preparation starts with an induction pack and an invitation to a welcome talk once the nursery place is confirmed. For children joining nursery with additional needs, meetings with the class teacher and Early Years Lead allow parents to explain existing professional support and approaches that have worked. Further arrangements can include observations at the child's existing setting or extra settling sessions with fewer children present in the unit. That allows the start to be planned around the individual child.

Tapestry is the recommended way for early years families to contact the teacher about possible special educational needs. The school follows the Plymouth CAST SEND Pathway, using a cycle of assessing needs, planning support, carrying it out and reviewing it. Parents can also arrange an appointment with the SENCO at senco@stncs.uk.

Lunch brings a choice: families can buy a school meal or send a packed lunch when their child stays all day. Milk and fruit are free. This gives parents a practical choice about food while keeping those snacks included.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the applicable deadline. Devon County Council coordinates applications, with online applications at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionsonline. Treat that application as a separate task from agreeing nursery sessions.

For children with SEN, support between school years includes meetings involving both teachers, two transition days and booklets containing photographs of the next classroom and teacher. These arrangements help children prepare for different people and routines; they do not secure admission.

Morning Session runs from 8.45am to 11.45am; Afternoon Session runs from 12.45pm to 3.15pm. Lunch occupies the hour between them. Breakfast Club covers 7.45am to 8.45am for children aged three upwards, and After School Club runs from 3.15pm to 6pm.

Families can use a minimum of 2.5 hours and a maximum of 10 hours daily, including the clubs. The Early Years Entitlement provides 570 funded hours annually from the term after a child's third birthday until school starts. Eligible families can access extended funding of 30 hours per week, and funded hours can be used across nursery and both clubs. Extra hours and school meals are charged; contact the school for current charges.

To arrange a nursery tour, telephone 01392 445403, extension 222. A visit gives families a chance to see a session in action before choosing their attendance pattern.