Greystoke Primary School Nursery Review

Early phonics gives Greystoke Pre-School a clear learning focus: its end-of-preschool expectation is secure phase 1 of Letters and Sounds. This is the nursery provision attached to Greystoke Primary School on Thornton Drive in Narborough, giving families a preschool option within the school.

Letters and Sounds phase 1 is the preschool phonics benchmark, while the school uses Read Write Inc for its phonics teaching. The school describes that benchmark as a minimum expectation, with some children working beyond it. For parents, this gives a concrete starting point for understanding the learning focus before formal school entry.

The early years foundation stage combines teaching with opportunities to revisit learning independently. In May 2023, Ofsted found that early years teachers explained new concepts clearly and connected them with earlier learning; children could then rehearse those ideas during independent activity. One example involved subtraction with a number line, which some children chose to try again later. That illustrates how adult teaching and children's own choices can connect, rather than describing a fixed nursery timetable.

Curriculum alignment. In May 2023, early years activities sometimes diverged from their intended learning, and staff did not consistently understand how tasks would extend children's knowledge. This limited some children's progress towards their next stage. The improvement required was precise: connect activities to the intended curriculum and use staff's curriculum knowledge to extend understanding. Families should weigh that concern alongside the examples of clear teaching and independent practice.

Practical learning equipment featured in early years SEND support in May 2023. Some children worked through subtraction with toys before moving to a number line. This gave them a concrete way to tackle the same mathematical idea, with the materials adapted to support their learning.

For additional-needs enquiries, parents can contact the school's SEND coordinator. Leicestershire's Local Offer also helps families find services and understand which organisations have responsibility for support. It includes help for parents and carers themselves, making it relevant to the family as well as the child.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place, and it is not one of Greystoke's listed priority criteria. Families must make a separate Reception application to their home local authority using the Common Application Form, by 15 January. This applies to families living outside Leicestershire too: the application goes through the authority where they live.

When applications exceed available places, allocation follows the school's oversubscription criteria. Catchment residence and an older sibling attending at the same time are among those criteria; attending preschool is a separate matter.

Once a child has secured a school place, the family is invited to summer-term pre-transition sessions before the autumn start in Reception. These sessions support preparation for the change. They follow the offer of a place and do not confer an admissions advantage.

Contact the school office at office@dsatgreystoke.org or on 0116 2862286 for general enquiries. School visits can be arranged by emailing the office, giving families an opportunity to discuss their child's education. A Nursery Virtual Tour provides another way to explore the provision.

For the school journey, alternative free parking is available on Desford Road at Naborough Park, a 5 minute walk from school. The school asks families to park considerately when collecting or dropping off children: blocked driveways and idling engines create safety concerns and disrupt neighbouring households. Allowing time for the walk is a practical option for families travelling by car.