Tackley Church of England Primary School Nursery Review

Stories, rhymes and listening games give Tackley’s nursery its clearest character: language is part of everyday learning, rather than reserved for a single activity. The nursery belongs to the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) unit, putting its youngest learners within the primary school’s early education provision.

The Church of England school identifies kindness, responsibility and curiosity as its Christian values. In March 2025, Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Daily nursery activities include hearing stories, joining rhymes and playing games that practise listening. These give children different ways to encounter vocabulary: through a story’s meaning, the sounds in a rhyme and attention to spoken language. Reading for enjoyment starts here. In March 2025, staff selected books that encouraged children’s interest in reading.

A new focus text each week connects activities across EYFS. Children explore it both in focused groups and through continuous provision, the learning activities they can return to during the day. This gives a book more than one outing and links shared reading with further exploration.

Maths has a flexible progression. Children can start at a point suited to their development, including when they join in different intakes. Counting, patterns and exploring shapes feature in the nursery scheme. The practical emphasis gives children ways to investigate mathematical ideas alongside learning number language.

Making also has a place in EYFS. Some activities begin with children’s ideas; others are introduced or directed by adults. Children experiment with materials and tools, explore how their creations work and explain how they made them. In parent terms, this part of the EYFS links hands-on discovery with speaking about choices and processes.

For children needing additional help, the school’s approach begins with adapting classroom teaching. Visual prompts, changes to tasks and flexible grouping are among the options. Where a child needs a more individual programme, support can include a quieter workspace away from distractions. The adjustment follows the child’s needs.

Language support includes the Nuffield Early Language Intervention programme (NELI) for children who need help developing vocabulary and early language. The school also works with speech and language therapists and educational psychologists, giving staff access to specialist advice when planning support.

Parents whose children receive SEND support have three Pupil Profile updates during the year, alongside ordinary parent meetings. These reviews bring together progress, intended outcomes and the next support steps. Families therefore have scheduled opportunities to discuss whether the arrangements are helping their child.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route by the normal deadline. School preferences go through the local authority where parents live when applying; for Oxfordshire applications, the primary form is the Oxfordshire CAPF.

For pupils with SEND, preparation for a change of year includes summer-term lessons with their incoming teacher and opportunities to become familiar with the new learning space. A photograph or plan may go home. This supports familiarity with the next environment, separately from the admissions decision.

The school office handles enquiries by telephone on 01869 331327 or by email at office.3144@tackley.oxon.sch.uk. There is also a contact form. These give families a direct starting point for a nursery enquiry.