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Nursery at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Hartlepool
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Confident conversation and playground wheels give Sacred Heart’s nursery its character. Children aged 3 attend the nursery within the Catholic primary school on Hart Lane in Hartlepool. This is the school’s own early years provision, with learning and care forming part of school life.
Ofsted graded early years provision Good at the inspection on 16 and 17 November 2023. Nursery children settled promptly and developed comfortable relationships with adults, giving families a positive picture of those first steps into education.
Conversation does real learning work here. In November 2023, children spoke readily with adults, who used those exchanges to extend their language and introduce vocabulary. That makes talking part of teaching: children have opportunities to practise expressing themselves while adults help them develop the words they need.
The early years learning environment was organised to engage children’s interest. Nursery themes move from exploring themselves in autumn to the people who help their community in spring, then the seaside across past and present in summer. These give children familiar starting points for thinking about people, places and change.
The playground also hosts nursery activity. In July 2026, children took part in a sponsored challenge using bikes and scooters. It was a concrete example of active outdoor participation, with children riding around the playground together.
Settling was a strength in November 2023. Adults and children had affectionate, trusting relationships, and children received attentive care. For a parent weighing the emotional demands of starting nursery, the combination of prompt settling and confident conversation matters.
Support for special educational needs and disabilities involves a SENCO and a supporting SENCO role. The school aims to respond early to emerging developmental difficulties and listen to parents’ concerns. Its approach uses assessment, planning, putting support into practice and reviewing it, with individual targets revisited each term. Parents can arrange an appointment with the inclusion team through the office.
Flexible entry into the Early Years Foundation Stage can be arranged according to need. The Early Years Lead has also undertaken and implemented training on supporting children with SEND.
Additional support. In November 2023, school-wide weaknesses included delayed identification of SEND, support plans that did not consistently match needs and uneven adaptation of teaching. Curriculum delivery also varied. These were school-wide findings, so families considering nursery support should weigh them alongside the positive early years findings.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through their home local authority using a Common Application Form. For September 2027 entry, the deadline is 15 January 2027. Nursery attendance itself confers no priority for that admission round.
Transition support is a separate matter. For children with SEND, information passes to the next teacher in advance, with a meeting to discuss individual requirements and targets. Children needing extra help with a class move can receive a programme supported by the class teacher and SENCO. That continuity helps adults plan for the child’s needs; it does not change the Reception application process.
Nursery application forms come from the school office. Applications require a birth certificate and, if available, a baptism certificate. This nursery application is distinct from the later Reception application.
Contact the office on 01429 272684 or email admin@sacredheart.bhcet.org.uk to make a nursery enquiry. The school’s address is Hart Lane, Hartlepool, TS26 8NL.
The nursery caters for children aged 3.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a place or confer priority for September 2027 entry. A separate application to the home local authority is required by 15 January 2027.
Obtain a nursery application form from the school office. Supply a birth certificate and a baptism certificate if available.
At the November 2023 inspection, nursery children settled promptly and had warm relationships with staff.
Parents can contact the office on 01429 272684 to arrange an appointment with the SENCO or SENCO support role.
