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Nursery at St Michael and All Angels CofE Primary & Pre 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Play has its own indoor and outdoor spaces here, with a key worker for each child and a school-run pre-school taking children from age three. St Michael and All Angels CofE Primary & Pre School, in Shelf, Halifax, combines a child-led approach with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Children learn through play in dedicated indoor and outdoor spaces.
The outdoor play area was partly funded by the Parent Teacher Friends Association (PTFA). It gives the pre-school a physical space of its own for outdoor activity, alongside its dedicated indoor provision.
Children’s interests help shape learning within the EYFS, the framework for their early development and education. Play carries much of the learning: early-years art includes experimenting with texture and colour, using materials and expressing ideas through movement or role play. Construction and making give children opportunities to try solutions to practical problems.
Music has a named programme, Sing Up, with nursery rhymes, movement and singing forming the early-years starting point. Pre-school children also take Foundation for Phonics through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised. This prepares them for later phonics learning, while the emphasis on speaking and listening gives language development a practical purpose.
Outdoor activity sits alongside indoor play. Early-years physical learning includes hopping, climbing and dancing, helping children practise balance, coordination and moving safely around others. These are skills children can rehearse through activity rather than worksheets.
At the September 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that pre-school staff taught effectively, understood the children and drew enthusiastic responses from them. The same inspection called for clearer expectations about letter formation for the youngest children, making early writing practice a point for families to consider alongside the positive findings.
Each child has a key worker responsible for supporting their development. That gives families a consistent staff connection. Tapestry Online Learning Journal shares photographs of learning and children’s next steps; parents can contribute pictures and observations from home too. It connects what children do in pre-school with experiences such as imaginative play, drawing or family celebrations.
Snack comes in both sessions, following a three-week rotation adjusted for seasons and celebrations. Morning choices include cucumber, melon and apples; afternoon options include crumpets, bagels and yoghurt. Children attending mornings can have a school meal or bring a packed lunch, so lunchtime is part of that session rather than an additional attendance period.
For SEND concerns, families can contact the SENCo through the school’s SEN page. Regular SEN and Pastoral Drop-In Sessions provide another route for discussion. These school support arrangements give parents a place to raise concerns alongside everyday contact with pre-school staff.
Reception admission is separate. Attending this pre-school does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply again through the normal Reception admissions process and meet the deadline for their child’s entry year.
Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council administers Reception applications on the governing body’s behalf. For the September 2026 intake, the application deadline was midnight on 15 January 2026; that cycle has passed. Treat the pre-school enquiry and the later school application as separate tasks.
Preparation for the next stage also includes practical family resources: the Reception page links to a Starting Reception Guide, Potty Training Guide and Toothbrushing Guidance. These focus attention on everyday readiness alongside learning.
Morning sessions run from 9:15am to 12:15pm, including lunch; afternoons run from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. An optional extra half-hour allows an 8:45am start. Regular attendance patterns are encouraged, including mornings, afternoons and full-day combinations; ad-hoc sessions depend on availability.
Eligible families can use 15-hour or 30-hour funding entitlements and purchase additional attendance. Snacks, school meals and the earlier start have separate charges. Contact the school for current charges. Angels Out of School Club also serves pre-school children before and after school, adding childcare around the core sessions.
Use the pre-school enquiry form on the Admissions page to enquire about a place. Uniform is optional for pre-school. Early-years children need separate waterproof top and bottom garments, wellington boots and spare clothes, practical preparation for outdoor play and accidents.
The current pre-school page gives a starting age of three.
Mornings are 9:15am to 12:15pm, including lunch, and afternoons are 12:15pm to 3:15pm. An additional half-hour permits an 8:45am start.
Eligible families can use their 15-hour or 30-hour entitlement, with additional sessions purchased if required.
Tapestry shares learning photographs and next steps. Parents can add observations and pictures from home.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions process. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council administers applications on behalf of the governing body.
