High Bank Junior Infant and Nursery School Nursery Review

Stories, rhymes and spoken sounds give High Bank’s nursery its clearest character. Little Wandle shapes the early reading work, with language development taking centre stage before children move further through school. This is provision for three and four-year-olds within High Bank Junior Infant and Nursery School on Eighth Avenue, Liversedge.

A nursery nurse leads Hockney Class, linking the nursery provision to a named class team. For families considering a school setting from the early years, the useful distinction is between joining that daily life and gaining a later school place. Those are separate decisions.

Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised provides the nursery’s Foundations for Phonics approach. Children practise oral blending daily and develop language through stories and rhymes. The emphasis is on listening and speaking: working with sounds aloud gives children a foundation for later reading and writing.

Books have a physical place in the day, too. Classroom reading areas contain selected books, while the early years reading programme includes daily stories and poetry to learn and perform. Nursery also uses Little Wandle’s Foundations for a Love of reading stories. Together, these give children repeated contact with language through listening, joining in and enjoying books.

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) is the learning stage before the later primary curriculum. In October 2024, Ofsted found that High Bank’s early years curriculum established knowledge for children’s next stage of learning. Clear teaching content also supported access for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Settling starts with relationships between adults. At the October 2024 inspection, home visits, coffee mornings and planned transitions helped staff establish connections with families joining Nursery and Reception. These give parents opportunities to speak with staff as their child begins school life.

Support extends beyond the class team. Parents can contact the school’s SENDCo through the office or at sendco@highbankschool.co.uk. The Pupil & Family Wellbeing Lead helps with difficulties affecting home or school, including parenting, bereavement, separation and changes between classes. This gives families a route for discussing circumstances that may affect their child’s day.

The Rainbow Room is a school support space in a central location, accessible from each classroom. A learning mentor and support staff work there with children individually or in small groups on social interaction. It provides a separate place for this work within the school.

Reception admission. A nursery place does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Kirklees Pupil Admissions, using the Kirklees online application route. The annual application window runs from 1 September until 15 January of the following year.

Nursery attendance is not among the listed admission priorities. The criteria instead cover care status, residence in the Priority Admission Area and qualifying sibling links; children whose Education Health and Care Plan names the school are admitted under the stated arrangements. Familiarity with school life should therefore be kept separate from entitlement to a place.

Morning nursery collection is at 11:50am. The school’s collection arrangements use classroom doors opening onto the MUGA or playground, giving families a specific collection point.

All three and four-year-olds qualify for 15 funded early education hours; eligible families can apply through HMRC for another 15. Eligibility codes last three months and require reconfirmation. Nursery registration forms come from the school office, and registration requires the child’s birth certificate.

Nursery children wear the same uniform as older pupils. Plain royal blue jumpers are accepted, and High Bank Boutique and Uniform Exchange provide routes for uniform support. To arrange a nursery visit, contact office@highbankschool.co.uk or telephone 01274 875330.