Bilton Community Primary School Nursery

Play, outdoor exploration and familiar routines shape Bilton’s nursery. There are 52 places for children aged 3 years and upwards, split into 26 morning places and 26 afternoon places. This is the school’s Foundation Stage One provision, with a nursery teacher and two Achievement Support Assistants.

The nursery aims to help children become independent, choose for themselves and show consideration for others. Regular attendance patterns, familiar adults and a consistent group of children are part of that approach, giving the day a predictable framework.

Children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with learning organised around play indoors and outside. Nursery staff concentrate first on language and communication, physical development and getting along with other people. Free-flow activity and group carpet time both contribute: children have room to pursue their interests, alongside time when an adult brings learning together.

Outdoor learning has a dedicated space. The nursery uses children’s interests to shape activities and challenges there, while the wider early-years provision includes forest school sessions and specialist teaching in music and physical education. Adult-led activities sit alongside play chosen by the children, rather than replacing it.

Daily nursery maths meetings introduce counting and number, comparing quantities, sorting and recognising shapes. These are practical foundations for later learning. Creative work includes experimenting with materials in a creative area, exploring texture and design, and choosing fabrics, fibres or threads for a purpose. Children can test an idea through making something.

Read, Write Inc begins when children are ready. In February 2025, Ofsted found that early-years phonics teaching was carefully planned and children developed reading skills quickly. Across the school, however, extra reading support did not always correct mistakes, slowing improvement. Inspectors asked for staff training and support to address this. The early-years environment also gave children frequent opportunities to extend their understanding of the world.

Familiar staff and repeated routines are central to the nursery’s approach. In February 2025, early-years children were learning to handle their feelings and follow positive routines. The same inspection found that the school’s new behaviour approach was not yet established consistently and required more consistent application across the school. That matters alongside the practical independence the nursery aims to develop.

For children with SEND, the school works with parents to understand individual needs, and the SENCO can arrange a discussion about concerns. At school level, the February 2025 inspection found that leadership disruption had weakened some parents’ confidence and engagement. Inspectors asked the school to build stronger relationships with families and the wider community. Early-years staff observe children’s learning to establish starting points and plan subsequent experiences. Additional support sits alongside learning together, allowing teaching to respond to different stages of development.

Lunch occupies the interval between the two nursery sessions. Staying through that period brings a supervision charge, including for children receiving 30-hour funding. School dinner payments use My Child At School (MCAS); families should obtain current charges from the school. The school also participates in Operation Encompass, which enables police to share information about domestic abuse with a trained school adult before the following school day so support can be arranged.

Attending Bilton’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application to their home local authority by its application deadline. East Riding residents apply through East Riding of Yorkshire Council; families living elsewhere apply through their own authority. No supplementary form is required.

The nursery’s work on communication, independence and social skills prepares children for their next stage. That educational preparation is separate from the allocation of a school place.

Morning sessions run from 8:30am to 11:30am; afternoons run from noon to 3pm, with lunch between 11:30am and noon. The nursery provides 15 funded hours and has some 30-hour funded places. Extra sessions can be purchased when space permits, with a term’s agreement needed to guarantee additional morning or afternoon attendance.

Booking preferences include all-day attendance requiring a 30-hour eligibility code, or either half of the week, with Wednesday divided between the two patterns. Preferences are subject to availability. Nursery children can also use Breakfast Club and After School Club: book and pay for the specific FS1 club option through MCAS in advance. Places are allocated in booking order, and after-school collection is by 5:30pm.

To register interest, complete the nursery application form. A chat and look around can be arranged through the office on 01482 811342 or admin@bilton.horizonacademy.uk. Children need labelled wellington boots and a waterproof coat, which can stay at school.