Bracken Edge Primary School Nursery Review

Number rhymes, wordless books and play shaped around children's interests give Squirrel Class its character. Bracken Edge's nursery takes three and four year olds and forms part of the school's Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision in Chapeltown, Leeds. The emphasis is on learning through play, with social and emotional development given explicit attention alongside new skills.

The wider school site borders Potternewton Park and includes woodland areas. That gives this nursery a green setting within a primary school, rather than a separate childcare centre.

Play provides the starting point for planning. Staff respond to individual interests and needs, while the EYFS framework brings learning, development and care together. Development Matters guides assessment and the choice of next steps. For parents, this means activities are planned around children's development as well as what catches their attention.

Early reading begins with sound awareness. Children explore rhyme, rhythm and listening, practise joining sounds together and separating them, and use Floppy's wordless practice books. Topic-linked songs and vocabulary connect these activities with other learning. This is preparation for reading through talk and sounds, with books already part of the experience.

Mathematics is equally concrete. Number songs help children learn the counting sequence; matching objects and comparing groups introduce more and less. Children also make patterns and explore shapes and spatial arrangements. Recognising a small quantity without counting each item is another nursery focus, giving children several ways to understand numbers.

In June 2023, Ofsted identified early-years strengths in number learning and in stories that encouraged children to explore classroom books. These findings concern the school's early years as a whole, rather than a separate nursery judgement.

Squirrel Class has two teaching roles and Level 3 nursery support. Class Dojo lets parents and teachers exchange photographs and videos of play and learning, and parents can view their child's individual portfolio. That makes everyday learning visible beyond the classroom.

Additional needs are supported through the school's SEND arrangements. Teaching can be adjusted to a child's learning needs, with outside specialists helping where necessary. A teacher and the SENCo draw up a support plan for an identified need and review it each term. The class teacher is the usual first contact for parents, keeping discussion close to the child's daily learning.

The school's meal arrangements include a two-course lunch, round tables and a discussion prompt for children to share ideas. Cool Milk supplies school milk, with parents signing up through the provider. These are school arrangements; current meal charges should be obtained from the school.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through their home local authority and meet the deadline for their child's entry year. Leeds residents use leeds.gov.uk/apply; Leeds City Council is the school's admission authority and allocates Reception places.

Familiar surroundings and relationships with staff are part of the school's description of the move from nursery to Reception. That continuity concerns children's experience of changing class. It does not secure an admission offer.

Most nursery children attend a two-and-a-half-day pattern: Monday and Tuesday followed by Wednesday morning, or Wednesday afternoon followed by Thursday and Friday. This concentrates attendance into one part of the week, an important detail when arranging work or other childcare.

The nursery offers 15 funded hours for three and four year olds, with 30-hour places for eligible families. For the latter, the school requires an eligibility code and a parent's National Insurance number; information must be resubmitted before each term. Parents who do not qualify for 30 hours can pay for sessions beyond the 15-hour entitlement. Contact the school for current charges.

Use the Nursery Enquiry Form to request a place, or contact the office on 0113 2623335. Prospective nursery families can also arrange a visit. The enquiry form asks for the child's date of birth and parent contact details so the team can respond.