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Nursery at Great Coates Primary School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Stories, sound games and hands-on discovery give Waddles Nursery its character. This is Great Coates Primary School’s own nursery on Cromwell Road in Grimsby, with learning organised around books, conversation and play. The school aims to develop confident learners, giving communication and language a central role.
Nursery has its own morning and afternoon sessions within the school day. Its curriculum also brings children into the wider school through activities such as visiting other classes. That offers familiarity with school life while keeping the learning focused on nursery children’s interests and developing skills.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines activities guided by adults with play children choose themselves, both inside and outdoors. Adults assess learning during play as well as through planned tasks, then adjust teaching and resources. For children, that means learning can follow their interests while still working towards specific skills.
Books give the themes their starting points. Incredible You supports work about children and their communities; Sharing a Shell appears in seaside learning. Maths is woven into stories, songs, small groups and everyday conversations, so number work reaches beyond a separate lesson. Children also practise sharing resources, playing together and waiting for a turn. These social goals give play a purpose beyond the activity itself: learning how to join in with others.
Sound work begins with Phase 1 Phonics, including listening to environmental sounds, rhythm and rhyme. Read Write Inc Set 1 also forms part of the nursery sequence. Physical activities include dough disco and squiggle while you wiggle, alongside using scissors, managing coats and developing pencil control. These connect movement with the practical skills children need for making marks and managing belongings.
Discovery has concrete classroom features too: planned enrichment includes a wormery and a fish tank. Forest School walks extend exploration outside. These experiences give children real things to observe and discuss, supporting the emphasis on vocabulary rather than relying only on pictures and stories.
Learning to separate from a main carer and recognise the adults who can help is part of the nursery curriculum. Handwashing, toilet independence and calming down through deep breathing are also taught. Care routines therefore become learning opportunities, with attention to both everyday independence and managing feelings.
Support can include extra adult help, adapted materials and introducing ideas in advance or giving children additional teaching where needed. Early years teachers review progress with the EYFS lead and senior leadership team each term, including the needs of children with SEND and those learning English as an additional language.
Mellors provides school catering, with choices including sandwiches, vegetarian dishes, jacket potatoes and hot meals. Families can also send a packed lunch. Meals are booked through Parent Pay a week ahead, making lunch planning part of the family’s weekly routine.
Attending Waddles Nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal council admissions route and meet the deadline for their child’s entry year. Keep that application separate from the nursery arrangements.
Familiarity is a different matter. Nursery learning includes developing confidence around school and visiting other classes. Those experiences can help children become comfortable with school routines; they do not secure admission.
Morning nursery runs from 8:45am to 11:45am, with the afternoon running from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. Lunch falls between the two sessions. Gates open at 8:35am and close at 8:50am, so morning drop-off needs to fit that window.
Breakfast club opens at 8am and accepts pupils aged 3 upwards. Families arrange attendance through the school office. Nursery jumpers are green, and Uniform Direct supplies uniform; label clothing so belongings are easier to identify.
For a nursery application or a prospective-parent visit, contact the school office on 01472 808608. Nursery application forms are returned to the school, and appointments for visits can be arranged through the office.
The morning session is 8:45am to 11:45am. The afternoon session is 12:15pm to 3:15pm, with lunch from 11:45am to 12:15pm.
No. Families need to make a separate application through the council admissions route and meet the deadline for the relevant entry year.
Learning includes stories, sound games, early maths, making marks, physical activity and independence. Adults guide some activities, while children also choose their own play indoors and outside.
Mellors provides school meals, booked a week ahead through Parent Pay. Packed lunches are also an option.
Breakfast club opens at 8am for pupils aged 3 upwards. Contact the school office to arrange attendance.
