Pytchley Endowed Church of England Primary School Nursery

A mud kitchen, moveable blocks and a water tray featured in Pytchley’s January 2022 announcement of completed early years outdoor improvements. This is the pre-school provision within Pytchley Endowed Church of England Primary School, on High Street in Pytchley. The school describes its Christian faith as a guide to its work with children and families.

The wider school occupies an extended Victorian building with Grade II status. In June 2025, Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good. That judgement covers the early years phase within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Exploration gives the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum its shape. Understanding the World means investigating materials, looking at plants and creatures, and asking how things work. Children compare objects and discuss what they notice, turning practical activity into opportunities to develop language and ideas.

Making has a place alongside observing. Blocks and construction kits become miniature imagined worlds; children choose materials and decide how to use them. Drawing and painting involve developing ideas before creating something. These activities give children reasons to make choices and explain their thinking.

Kapow is the named music programme for early years. Children experiment with sounds using instruments, their bodies and their voices, then practise responding to a beat through movement. Physical learning includes hopping, jumping, catching and throwing, with turn-taking woven into games.

In January 2022, the school announced completed improvements to the EYFS outdoor area: artificial turf, a covered space, a chalkboard, a water tray and moveable blocks, alongside the existing mud garden and mud kitchen. These features provided possibilities for outdoor exploration and construction. The early years curriculum also includes exploring the school grounds through changing weather and seasons, linking observation to the world around them.

Individual needs are part of the school’s approach: Pytchley says it adapts learning opportunities to suit each child. A Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator provides a point of contact for discussions about SEND. The building has a ramp and lift access, practical features for families with mobility needs.

Kingswood Catering supplies the school’s meals. Choices are booked ahead for the following week, so food planning is something families handle in advance rather than on the day.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the local authority where they live, with a deadline of 15 January. Treat that application as a distinct step, even when your child already attends pre-school here.

For an application on faith grounds, families must also return Supplementary Information Form SIF A to the school by 15 January. This is additional to the local authority application.

For enquiries, contact the school office on 01536 790506 or email office@pytchley.pdet.org.uk. School visits can be arranged through the office.

The school’s EYFS uniform includes royal blue knitwear, white or royal blue polo shirts and black shoes. Clothing and footwear should be labelled. For journeys by car, the school encourages use of the nearby pub car park followed by a walk, and asks drivers to keep the school car park entrance clear.