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Nursery at Leyburn Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
An adventure playground, a wooded area and a Foundation Stage unit shared with Reception give Leyburn’s nursery its school-based character. Children can start in the term after their third birthday. The nursery is known as Lower Foundation Stage, with indoor and outdoor classrooms as well as access to the school grounds.
Early years provision was graded Good at the Ofsted inspection of 1 and 2 November 2022. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery.
Language runs through the nursery’s learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum combines practical play with adult teaching across seven learning areas. For children, that means learning through conversation, stories and pretend play alongside focused work on early number and phonics. Adults introduce vocabulary and respond to children’s interests, while accessible resources let children make choices themselves.
There is plenty of concrete activity behind that approach. Nursery art includes mixing colours, joining materials and adding detail to drawings. Music brings instrument play, singing and opportunities to invent simple songs. Children practise listening in small groups and use conversation to organise their games. These activities give them different ways to express ideas, with words, sounds and materials.
Outside, the adventure playground and wooded area extend the learning space beyond the classrooms. Physical learning includes using a climbing-frame ladder, developing ball skills and practising hopping and balancing. Independence has a practical side too: children work towards managing handwashing and toileting themselves.
In November 2022, early years children understood their daily routines, chose resources independently and sustained attention during activities they had selected. Staff supported spoken language and explicitly taught sharing and taking turns. The combination gives children both a predictable structure and room to direct their own play.
Job-sharing teachers work alongside teaching assistants in the Foundation Stage. Before a child starts nursery, families are contacted during the preceding term with further information and an opportunity to visit together. Settling forms part of the nursery curriculum, with attention to routines, playing alongside others and gaining confidence to ask for help. Familiarity begins before the first session.
An open-door approach allows parents to discuss concerns. Regular conversations contribute to understanding each child’s development, and half-termly progress reports identify next steps and concerns. The EYFS approach also includes responding to individual needs and supporting communication for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Lunch can be a packed meal from home or a charged school meal. Morning snack includes milk and fruit for every child. Families therefore have a choice over lunch, alongside a shared snack routine.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through North Yorkshire County Council’s school admissions route. Decisions use the local authority’s admission criteria; registering for nursery does not replace that application.
The combined Foundation Stage unit provides continuity of setting between nursery and Reception. That is a practical feature of the learning environment, distinct from the allocation of a school place. A summer-term meeting before Reception entry gives families information and an opportunity to speak with teaching and support staff.
Flexible sessions run from 9am to noon and noon to 3pm. A further session from 3pm to 3.30pm is charged, and families can also pay for extra sessions. Both 15-hour and 30-hour funding are accepted. The additional half-hour therefore needs to be considered separately when planning attendance.
To request a nursery registration form, contact the school office on 01969 623187 or email leyburn@ycatschools.co.uk. Registration can be made at any age, and visits are welcomed. The nursery is at Leyburn Primary School on Wensleydale Avenue, Leyburn, DL8 5SD.
Children can attend from the term after their third birthday. Families can register their child at any age.
Sessions run from 9am to noon and noon to 3pm, with a charged additional session from 3pm to 3.30pm. The nursery accepts both 15-hour and 30-hour funding; extra sessions can be paid for.
Nursery children can bring a packed lunch or have a charged school lunch. Every child receives fruit and milk at morning snack time.
No. A separate Reception application is required through North Yorkshire County Council’s school admissions route.
Yes. Visits are welcomed, and families are offered an opportunity to visit with their child during the term before starting. Contact the school office on 01969 623187 or leyburn@ycatschools.co.uk.
