Rushey Mead Primary School Nursery Review

Shopping lists, pretend characters and conversation give Rushey Mead’s nursery learning a practical flavour. Oak class is the school’s nursery provision on Gipsy Lane in Leicester. Its role-play area gives children a place to try out different identities and practise talking together, while activities such as making food shopping lists connect early writing with familiar experiences.

Play and language shape the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines children’s social and emotional development, communication and movement with early reading, writing, maths, creative work and understanding the world. Books and themed topics provide starting points, alongside children’s interests and questions. That gives exploration a place alongside planned learning.

Adults support children’s language through conversations in both the outdoor and indoor provision. No Outsiders begins in the early years, introducing different cultures, communities and family lives. The school aims to help children develop respect for others through these encounters.

Storytelling has a named approach: Talk for Writing helps children learn and retell stories and traditional tales. The Rushey Read Aloud Spine also begins in nursery, bringing together modern and classic writing with nursery rhymes and poetry. These approaches give children material to hear, discuss and retell before writing becomes more established.

A nursery activity about healthy eating brought several skills together. Children cut out food pictures for shopping lists, then attempted letters to represent their choices. Cutting, food knowledge and early writing served one recognisable purpose. In April 2024, Ofsted found that the early-years curriculum addressed children’s development across learning areas, staff understood the learning goals and children followed familiar routines.

Stay and Play sessions have helped introduce nursery children to their setting. During these sessions, children used the role-play area to act as different people and practise communication. Play offered a concrete activity to engage with while becoming familiar with nursery life.

Evidence Me connects early-years learning with home. Teachers share photographs, spoken explanations, comments and suggestions for further learning; comments can be made in Gujarati and English. Parents can also upload achievements from home. This creates a two-way exchange rather than simply sending families a record of classroom activities.

For additional needs, the school’s support structure includes a SENCo and an assistant SENCo. Its SEND approach involves checking progress, considering individual support and keeping contact with parents. Families can contact the SENCo through the school office.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. Admissions to Rushey Mead Primary School are handled by Leicester City Local Authority, so that is the application route to use.

Preparation for the next stage is a separate question from securing a place. In April 2024, Ofsted found that early-years children were ready for their next stage of education. That finding concerns preparation, rather than an admissions advantage.

The school office handles enquiries by telephone on 0116 266 1114 or by email at office@rusheymead-pri.leicester.sch.uk. School visits can be booked by contacting the office. The address is Gipsy Lane, Leicester, LE4 6RB.