Bainbridge Church of England Primary and Nursery School: Nursery Review

Robins brings nursery and Reception children together at Bainbridge, giving the youngest children a shared early years class within the BAWB Federation. Nursery provision starts from age three. Bainbridge is the federation’s base for early years, so the nursery belongs within a school setting rather than operating as a separate childcare setting.

The distinction that matters for parents is the early years judgement. At the Ofsted inspection on 19 and 20 April 2023, early years provision was rated Requires improvement. The concerns centred on what children were learning and how adults helped them learn. These deserve close attention when choosing the nursery.

The Early Years Foundation Stage, or EYFS, encompasses the nursery’s early learning. Language and independence are useful ways for parents to assess that experience: how adults extend a child’s conversation, and how children choose and use activities. Daily phonics sessions form part of the EYFS teaching, giving learning about sounds a regular place in the day. Children also have access to the school library, adding a physical space for choosing books.

In April 2023, early years teaching lacked sufficiently precise learning goals and a clear sequence. Inspectors also found expectations for children’s achievement too low, with some children consequently learning less than they should. Choosing and accessing activities independently proved difficult for some children, and those difficulties disrupted their peers. Adult support also fell short: staff talk did too little to develop vocabulary, and completing allocated tasks sometimes took precedence over guiding children towards worthwhile learning. For families, the practical question is how activities now build specific skills, and how adults support children who need help joining in.

Lunch can extend a nursery session. Nursery meals are available through the lunchtime provision between noon and 1pm, and food is prepared and cooked on site. Adults encourage healthy eating and table manners, making the meal part of learning everyday routines as well as eating together.

For concerns about special educational needs and disabilities, the class teacher is usually the first contact, with the special educational needs coordinator also involved where appropriate. Staff discuss developmental concerns with parents and arrange a follow-up conversation after agreeing strategies. Additional support includes planning and review meetings with families, connecting goals, activities and progress.

Support planning. In April 2023, some pupils’ needs across the school were insufficiently defined, leaving individual targets and support poorly matched. Parents whose child needs additional help should pay close attention to how their child’s needs and next steps are identified.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. The application route is through North Yorkshire’s school admissions service, which provides an electronic application form. Treat nursery attendance and the Reception application as separate decisions.

The lunchtime extension runs from 12pm to 1pm and carries a charge. Contact the school for current charges before booking this provision.

Nursery enquiries can go to the federation’s administration team at BAWBadmin@b-a-wb.co.uk. Families can also request a school visit through that address. Bainbridge’s telephone number is 01969 650336, providing a direct contact for the school.