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Nursery at Catherine Infant School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Rainbows gives Catherine Infant School’s nursery its own identity: a play-led start within an infant school in Belgrave, Leicester. This is Foundation Stage 1, with 30 places in each of the morning and afternoon sessions. Some full-time places are also offered to children who qualify. For families, the distinction matters: a part-time place and a full-time place are different arrangements.
The school moved into its new building in January 2025. Nursery learning combines indoor activity with outdoor exploration, with children’s interests helping to shape what they investigate and discuss.
Play and conversation set the direction. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together physical development, relationships and language with early literacy, maths, creativity and understanding the world. Here, children explore materials, experiment and share ideas, while adults help extend their thinking. The aim is to build learning around each child’s strengths and interests.
Read Write Inc begins in Nursery, introducing the phonics programme used across the school. Number Sense takes a visual route into maths: children compare quantities, count and explore how numbers up to 10 can be arranged and split. These approaches give early reading and number work a recognisable structure alongside play.
There is plenty to do with hands and bodies. A creative station in each EYFS classroom lets children choose what to draw or make. Outdoors, bikes, scooters and hurdles provide opportunities to practise balance and coordination; writing sheds and large chalk bring mark-making outside. Indoors, playdough, tweezers, threading and sand and water activities exercise the smaller movements needed for handling tools and pencils.
Songs, stories and imaginative play add another layer. Familiar rhymes and number songs are rehearsed daily, and children experiment with instruments both inside and outdoors. Nursery geography starts with personal spaces, England and another country, giving children an early way to discuss similarities and differences.
Rainbows has a classroom teacher, with an EYFS leader also part of the school’s leadership structure. In February 2025, children in early years settled readily into learning routines, and activities were matched to their next learning steps. Communication and vocabulary received close attention. Those findings give parents a useful picture of how learning and settling worked at that point.
Emotional learning has a named approach, too. Weekly Jigsaw lessons use games, quiet breathing and discussion; Jenie is the nursery’s Jigsaw character. This gives children opportunities to practise talking about feelings and listening to others. ClassDojo carries work uploaded by the Rainbows class teacher, helping parents connect with classroom learning.
For additional needs, families can contact the SENCo through the school office. School catering is provided by Aspens Services, and the office handles discussions about allergies and dietary requirements. The meat option is not Halal, a practical consideration for families choosing meals.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate online application through Leicester City Council and meet the normal Reception application deadline. Treat that application as a separate task, even when your child already attends Rainbows.
Transition support focuses on relationships and communication. Partner talk, group activities and speaking and listening work help children build connections with peers and teachers as they move towards Reception. That preparation is separate from the allocation of places.
Morning and afternoon places are the main nursery arrangements. Full-time places are conditional on eligibility, with the school office handling enquiries and nursery registration appointments. If the nursery is full, families can join its waiting list.
Care beyond sessions. The school currently provides neither a breakfast club nor after-school wraparound care. Families needing a longer childcare day should factor that into their plans.
To enquire, call 0116 2625422 or email admin@catherine-inf.leicester.sch.uk. School visits can also be arranged through the office, giving families a chance to see the setting before choosing it.
There are 30 morning places and 30 afternoon places. Some full-time places are also available for children who qualify.
Learning follows the EYFS through play and adult interaction. Read Write Inc begins in Nursery, while Number Sense supports early maths and Jigsaw covers personal and emotional learning.
No. Reception requires a separate online application through Leicester City Council by the normal deadline.
The school currently does not provide breakfast or after-school wraparound care.
Contact the school office on 0116 2625422 or email admin@catherine-inf.leicester.sch.uk for nursery enquiries and registration appointments.
