Lowick Church of England Primary School Nursery

Swimming from age two gives Lowick’s nursery a distinctive starting point. Children this young were included in swimming at the November 2023 inspection, bringing an activity beyond the classroom into their early school experience. The nursery sits within Lowick Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School at 30 Main Street, Lowick, with provision for two-year-olds.

Early years provision was graded Good at the inspection on 21 and 22 November 2023. That judgement covers the school’s early years, rather than a separately inspected nursery. The detail matters: teaching in small groups was successful, while independent learning needed more attention.

Adult-led learning and children’s independent activity are the two parts of the nursery experience highlighted in November 2023. Nursery children and those in the two-year-old provision learned well when taught in small groups. For parents, this gives a concrete strength to weigh: focused teaching with an adult was working for the youngest children.

Independent activity was less successful. Some younger children spent this time with too little learning purpose, and the early years resources did not help them practise skills as effectively as they could. The improvement required was specific: connect materials more closely to the intended learning and help children make meaningful use of them. This concerns what children do with the resources, as well as which resources adults choose.

Independent learning. In November 2023, small-group teaching was stronger than learning children pursued independently. When considering the nursery, look closely at how activities give children a clear skill to practise after adult guidance ends.

Swimming adds another dimension. At that same inspection, children from the age of two took part, so physical activity extended beyond classroom learning.

The staffing structure includes a nursery teacher, nursery teaching assistants and an early years teaching assistant. One nursery assistant also has a lunchtime supervision role. These are distinct teaching and care responsibilities within the team, rather than a single generic support role.

Safeguarding responsibilities also reach into nursery staffing: the nursery teacher is a deputy safeguarding lead. The headteacher combines the safeguarding lead and special educational needs coordinator roles. For families, that identifies where responsibility sits when a concern involves either safety or additional needs.

The school’s special educational needs coordinator holds the NASENCO award, a postgraduate certificate in SEND. This is a specific qualification attached to the coordination role; it should be distinguished from a claim about an individual child’s support or progress.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Lowick follows Northumberland County Council’s admissions procedures, so the council route remains relevant even when a child already attends the nursery.

Treat choosing nursery and applying for Reception as separate decisions. Being familiar with a school does not replace the application needed for the next stage.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school office at admin@lowick.northumberland.sch.uk or telephone 01289 388268. The school address is 30 Main Street, Lowick, TD15 2UA. Northumberland County Council provides the school’s future term dates.