Ludham Primary School and Nursery: Nursery Review

Water play, soil digging and weekly Forest School give Ludham’s nursery day a distinctly outdoorsy shape. Kingfishers is the nursery class within Ludham Primary School and Nursery on School Road, with provision for two-year-olds alongside three- and four-year-olds. There are 15 places for each age group, with both funded and fee-paying spaces.

This is provision within the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Its practical emphasis is on play, conversation and growing independence, with children choosing activities as well as joining teaching sessions.

Play takes up most of the day. Adults observe children’s interests and independent skills, then use those observations to plan their next learning steps. For three-year-olds, daily focused teaching includes physical development, topic work, phonics and maths. Children can then practise what they have learnt through their own play, giving adult teaching and child choice a place in the same day.

The EYFS brings care and learning together: relationships, communication and physical skills sit alongside early literacy, number, creativity and exploring the world. Stories help shape the week’s activities, while conversations give children opportunities to explain ideas and solve problems together. Nursery themes include Growing & Minibeasts and People Who Help Us & Summer. Transport & Spring involves investigating maps, comparing natural materials and exploring pushing and pulling, making new vocabulary part of practical discovery.

Outside, the enclosed Early Years area combines pebbles, grass and hard surfaces, with sheltered sections and opportunities to climb, dig and play with sand or water. Children move freely between indoors and outdoors. The mud kitchen, giant sandpit and woodland area add further possibilities for sensory exploration. Weekly Forest School and regular use of the wild area make outdoor clothing an everyday consideration for families.

Each child has a key person who helps them settle and gives parents a familiar contact. Short stay-and-play sessions bring children and parents together with staff before starting. If settling proves difficult, staff can suggest shorter attendance periods and extend them gradually. A home visit with the Kingfishers Teacher and key person may also be arranged before the start date.

Tapestry carries photographs, observations and comments about children’s learning; parents can add milestones and experiences from home. EYFS staff are available around session start and finish, with appointments for longer conversations. The team will also work with families whose children are still learning to use the toilet.

Food arrangements are straightforward: children receive fruit or vegetables and milk each day, free of charge. Those staying for lunch bring a packed lunch, and the school is nut free. Families send a bottle containing water. For additional needs, the nursery plans support with families and, where appropriate, health or local authority professionals. Across the school, the SENDCo coordinates provision and holds the National Award for SEN Coordination. Declaring needs early helps staff plan support before a child starts.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Parents must apply separately through Norfolk County Council’s school admissions team and meet the normal Reception application deadline. Nursery attendance does not confer priority within the school’s stated oversubscription order, which considers factors including catchment and siblings.

Preparation for the classroom is a separate matter. Children are invited into Kingfisher Class in July to meet peers, and families have a July transition meeting. These opportunities help children and parents prepare for the change; they do not replace the Reception application.

Families indicate their preferred days and hours on the nursery application form. Once an offered place is accepted, funded or paid sessions are booked. Funded hours depend on eligibility and capacity, with funding codes requiring periodic revalidation. Additional paid hours are subject to availability. Extra services, including meals, nappies or trips, may attract separate charges; funded hours should not cover those costs. Contact the school for current charges.

Uniform is optional. Clothes should allow easy toileting and withstand messy play, with named spare clothes kept at school. Wellington boots and waterproof clothing are needed for Forest School, and a bookbag carries library books and occasional paper letters.

For enquiries, contact the school office on 01692 678293 or office@ludham.norfolk.sch.uk. An informal visit gives parents and children time to see the classroom and speak with the team.