St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School Nursery Review

Catholic faith and early language give the nursery at St Mary's its educational context. This is the nursery provision within St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School on Whitelees Road in Littleborough, part of the St Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Academy Trust. The school's age range begins at three; its Catholic character is relevant to families choosing their child's first school setting.

Respect for others is a stated school priority. St Mary's aims to support children's social and moral development alongside their learning, giving families a sense of the values that shape the wider school community.

The Trust's early years settings use the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework alongside Development Matters. These guide learning and development before the later school years. For parents, the relevant emphasis here is early language: vocabulary development starts within EYFS, rather than waiting until children begin more formal subject teaching.

Reading aloud, book corners and classroom libraries form part of the Trust's approach to reading across its schools. These are concrete ways of bringing books into children's learning environment. The Trust identifies language and vocabulary as priorities from the early years onwards, so talking and listening belong alongside encounters with books in its educational approach.

Catholic values also shape the shared curriculum framework. The Trust expects opportunities for worship and celebration, while individual primary schools shape their curriculum around their own communities. This places the nursery within a wider faith-based educational approach, with local curriculum decisions remaining with the school.

Support includes a Trust structure around the school. Its Safeguarding Team provides staff guidance and training, working with school leaders and external partners. Parents with a safeguarding concern should contact the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead first. That gives families a clear starting point for raising a concern.

The Trust's curriculum approach includes children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those learning English as an additional language. It describes teaching adaptations and support intended to help children access learning. This is an expectation across its schools, rather than a nursery-specific inspection finding.

A central Catering Team works with schools on menus and balanced food choices. This describes the wider catering support around St Mary's; it does not establish a particular nursery meal arrangement.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process, keeping that application distinct from their nursery place.

St Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Academy Trust is the admission authority, with applications coordinated by the relevant local authority. Families should use their home local authority's admissions process. Decisions on applications rest with the school's Local Governing Body, so nursery attendance should never be treated as confirmation of a later school place.

The school address is Whitelees Road, Littleborough, OL15 8DU. For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 01706 378032 or email office@stmaryslittleborough.stoccat.org.uk. This provides a direct school contact for families considering the provision.