Breage CofE Primary School Nursery

Clay, imaginative stories and Forest School activities give Breage’s nursery its practical character. This is the nursery at Breage CofE Primary School in Breage, near Helston, with provision for three and four year olds. Its Creative Curriculum puts children’s interests alongside learning through play, rather than making early learning solely about letters and numbers.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) covers seven areas of learning. In parent terms, that means developing movement, conversation and relationships alongside early literacy, maths, creativity and understanding the world. Breage’s Creative Curriculum brings these together through activities that follow children’s ideas. Play has a clear purpose.

Stories, poems and songs sit alongside recognising names and exploring phonic sounds. Children invent stories during imaginative games and talk with other children as they play. For early maths, they sort objects, count and explore shapes and number symbols, giving abstract ideas a practical starting point.

Creative work includes clay, collage, printing and drawing. Sand and water exploration involves tools and equipment, while construction materials give children opportunities to build and investigate. Music, dance and yoga add movement and expression to the mix.

Learning extends outdoors. Bikes, scooters and tyres are among the physical resources, with climbing and sliding also included in nursery activities. Forest School introduces another way to explore nature. Across the early years, indoor and outdoor resources remain available for play, and extended periods following children’s interests give them time to develop an idea rather than immediately move to another task.

Learning routines is part of settling in. Children practise sharing, cooperating and taking turns, while putting on boots or shoes and washing hands make independence part of everyday learning. These are small tasks with a useful purpose: helping children take more responsibility for themselves.

Additional needs are identified through observation, assessment and conversations with parents. The school’s SENCO works with teachers and teaching assistants to plan individual support. Parents discuss learning with their child’s class teacher first. School partners include Speech and Language Therapy and the Hearing Support Service, providing routes to specialist help where needed.

A designated safeguarding lead and deputy leads form part of the school’s safeguarding structure. Breage also participates in Operation Encompass with Devon and Cornwall Police, allowing information about domestic incidents involving children to reach school before the following school day.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route by the applicable deadline. Treat choosing nursery and applying for school as separate decisions; a nursery place should never be taken as confirmation of a later school place.

Morning sessions, all day sessions or a mixture of both can be used, depending on space. That gives families a choice of attendance pattern, with availability determining what can be arranged. Nursery applications begin with an Expression of Interest form.

For three and four year olds, funded provision comprises 570 hours annually, equivalent to 15 hours each week in term time. Funding starts in the term following the child’s third birthday. Some children qualify for up to 30 hours a week, subject to eligibility.

Meals, additional attendance hours and activities such as trips may carry extra charges. Ask the school for current charges. Funding questions can be discussed with the nursery team or school office. Contact is through 01326 573641 or hello@breageschool.org, and families can book a school visit.