Greenfields Primary School and Nursery: Nursery Review

Balance bikes, vegetable soup and blocks of different sizes give Greenfields’ nursery its character: children learn through movement, making and conversation. Ladybirds and Grasshoppers are the nursery groups within Greenfields Primary School and Nursery in Kettering. Places start from 2 years of age and continue until children are ready to begin Reception the following September.

Age shapes the spaces. Two-year-olds have a dedicated area with their own facilities and outdoor space; children aged 3 and 4 use a separate area. That gives younger children a base suited to their stage, while older nursery children have room for different challenges.

The Early Years Foundation Stage combines physical activity with opportunities to talk, investigate and create. Free play equipment includes climbing frames, trim trails, scooters and balance bikes. Alongside this, the Horizon Programme uses games to practise skills such as catching, balance and throwing. Movement has a clear place in learning.

Outdoor activities have included riding bikes and scooters, investigating ice containing superhero figures and constructing with differently sized blocks. Size vocabulary becomes practical as children compare their creations. Grasshoppers have also explored Forest School, searching for small creatures and examining trees and plants. These are concrete examples of learning beyond a table or screen.

Indoors, an interactive board has supported counting during Ladybirds’ life-cycle topic, alongside butterfly painting and insect dressing-up. Colour-mixing activities have invited children to predict what will happen, then test their ideas. Cutting snowflakes and making twig trees have brought Ladybirds and Grasshoppers together for craft work, giving small hand movements a purpose.

Reading starts in nursery. Talk 4 Reading uses a sequence of books extending from Nursery onwards, while Jigsaw sessions in Ladybirds have explored children’s individuality. A Hartbeeps workshop brought music and movement together using fabrics, bells, costumes and balls. The day’s examples connect language, physical skills and creative play rather than treating them as isolated tasks.

A nursery lead works alongside assistants and apprentices. In April 2025, Ofsted found that early-years children developed curiosity and confidence through supportive adult relationships, with staff placing clear emphasis on language and ambitious expectations. Those findings concern the school’s early years provision, which includes the nursery.

Food is both a care arrangement and a learning activity. Caterlink supplies a daily hot meal to Greenfields Primary School and Nursery; nursery full-day meals are charged separately. At Harvest, both nursery groups explored vegetables and made soup, with Grasshoppers tasting their creation. Children could connect ingredients, senses and cooking.

The school’s Inclusion Team supports children across the school, with adapted resources and additional adult help where appropriate. Parents can raise concerns about special educational needs, and interventions are reviewed at least termly. Parents’ evenings, workshops and reading records form part of communication between home and school. All teaching assistants have first-aid training, and Greenfields operates a nut-free rule.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the local authority’s school admissions process, by the normal deadline. The Reception enquiry route points families to North Northamptonshire Council’s admissions service. Keep this application separate from arranging nursery sessions.

Preparation for starting Reception includes a summer parents’ meeting, a classroom Stay and Play with a parent, further independent visits and a home visit from teaching staff. Children also have an opportunity to try lunch before attending full-time. These steps help families become familiar with the next stage; they do not secure admission.

Morning sessions run from 8:50am to 11:50am; afternoons run from 12:10pm to 3:10pm. A full day runs from 8:50am to 3:10pm. Funded options require a funding code: families select sessions for the 15-hour option, while the 30-hour funded pattern is 9:00am to 3:00pm. That distinction matters when planning collection.

Nursery wraparound includes breakfast start options and tea-time care with collections up to 6:00pm. Hot meals and some trips or activities carry extra charges; parents supply nappies and sunscreen. Contact the school for current charges. Meals are booked through MCAS, with dinner orders due by midnight on the Tuesday of the preceding week.

For nursery enquiries, call 01536 514622 or email admin@greenfields-pri.co.uk. Families can arrange an appointment to look around and discuss their child’s needs.