Rice Lane Primary School and Nursery: Nursery Review

Songs, stories and imaginative movement give Rice Lane’s nursery its character. This is the nursery within Rice Lane Primary School and Nursery, on Brockenhurst Road in Walton, Liverpool. Children can begin in the term following their third birthday, making it an early introduction to school life.

The connection with older children has a concrete example: pupils from Years 5 and 6 led a Relax Kids Little Stars activity for nursery children. That encounter brought storytelling and shared play across age groups, rather than keeping the youngest children’s experiences entirely separate from the wider school.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the curriculum framework. Here, its early reading work includes joining in with rhymes, listening to stories and singing. In October 2023, nursery children participated eagerly in these activities, developing familiarity with sounds before the next stage of learning.

Imagination also has a physical dimension. In the Relax Kids Little Stars example, older pupils read We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and nursery children acted out the journey. They used stretching and curling movements to represent trees and rocks, alongside pretend travel through the story’s grass, mud and cave. A familiar book became an activity involving movement as well as words.

Jigsaw is the school’s approach to personal, social and health education. Year groups explore common themes through content adapted to their ages, giving children a shared language for relationships as they grow. Each class also has a reading area with fiction and non-fiction suited to its children; changing the books gives them fresh material to explore.

Learning to relate to others starts early. In October 2023, children in early years were beginning to understand courtesy, friendliness and respect. These are useful foundations for playing together and becoming part of a group.

The Relax Kids activity included breathing practice with a feather and a Hoberman Sphere, followed by time resting on blankets and cushions to meditation music. Children also passed a teddy around and shared something positive about themselves. This was a specific session, with practical opportunities to practise calming down and speaking within a circle.

For communication at home, the school uses a free app to send messages and school updates. Parents receive a personal invitation, providing a direct channel for keeping up with school information.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the council admissions process and meet the deadline for their entry year. Liverpool City Council and Sefton Council arrange Reception places. Treat that application as a separate task from joining the nursery.

The Nursery 30 hours day runs from 8.45am to 3.30pm. Those start and finish times give families concrete points around which to plan their day.

Nursery enquiries go through the school office: call 0151 525 9776 or email admissions@ricelane.liverpool.sch.uk. The office supplies an application form, which parents return in person with their child’s birth certificate before joining the waiting list. Keep address and telephone details updated so correspondence reaches the family.