Widden Primary School Nursery

Sparkles and Sunshine give Widden’s nursery its own identity: two groups spanning the toddler and pre-school years within Widden Primary School. Sparkles includes children aged two and three; Sunshine is for pre-school children aged three and four. The nursery takes children aged two, three and four, so families can consider it at different stages before school entry.

Based on Sinope Street in Gloucester, this is the school’s own nursery provision. No Ofsted graded rating yet.

Stories, making and performance feature in a concrete example from December 2023. Children explored a nativity set alongside Christmas stories, made decorations and pictures to take home, and rehearsed a Christmas performance for their parents and guardians. The set gave the stories a physical counterpart; the artwork gave families something children had made to share at home.

That seasonal example brings together listening, exploring objects, creative work and rehearsal. It shows several ways children took part in one theme, rather than a timetable of separate subjects. Preparing a performance also brought families into the nursery’s activities. These were activities from that Christmas period, rather than a description of every session.

Two nursery practitioners hold level 3 qualifications. Alongside the nursery team, the school’s approach to additional needs includes working with families and, where appropriate, other agencies. Observations and assessments form part of joining the school; concerns about developmental milestones prompt a conversation with parents about the next steps.

Communication support has named tools. Across the school, Total Communication, Widgit symbols and visual timetables are used according to children’s needs in each class. Teaching strategies include giving instructions again, dividing information into smaller parts and leaving time for a response. For a child who needs help understanding instructions, these are concrete adaptations to discuss with the team.

Children with SEND have a child passport together with a My Plan or My Plan+. The passport records individual strategies and the adjustments needed to access learning. Parents and children contribute to pupil passports, which are reviewed regularly. This gives families a role in describing what helps their child, alongside staff observations.

MCAS, short for My Child at School, handles most school messages and alerts. Parents can also report absence and update their contact details through it.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through their home local authority, using its Common Application Form and naming Widden as a preference. Gloucestershire County Council coordinates Widden’s Reception applications; families living elsewhere apply through their own council.

The deadline is 15 January in the admission year. Keep that application separate from nursery arrangements: joining through the school office does not replace the Reception application.

Morning nursery runs from 8:45am to 11:45am, while the afternoon session runs from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. These give families two distinct session windows to fit around other commitments.

The school office manages nursery admissions. For a nursery enquiry, email admin@widdenprimary.co.uk or call 01452 520571. Use that nursery contact route when arranging entry, while keeping the separate council application for Reception on your calendar.