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Nursery at Prestbury CofE 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Storybooks do double duty at Prestbury: they introduce mathematical ideas as well as language, while listening games and rhymes prepare children for reading. This is a nursery with named teaching programmes and a consistent session pattern. Children attend five mornings or five afternoons each week, giving learning a regular rhythm.
The nursery occupies its own unit on the school site. Entry begins in the term following a child’s third birthday, subject to space. A teacher works alongside two teaching assistants. As part of a Church of England primary school, the provision sits within a Christian ethos shaped by kindness, wonder and courage.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines learning to communicate, move and manage relationships with early reading, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. Prestbury’s EYFS curriculum draws on Development Matters and Birth to 5 Matters. Play and exploration are central to the approach: children investigate, try ideas and work through practical problems, with experiences shaped around their interests.
Story Time Maths connects stories with early mathematical concepts. The emphasis is on talking about mathematical ideas through books, so language and number learning happen together. Families receive a short activity through Tapestry each week, linked to classroom skills. That gives parents a concrete way to continue the learning at home.
Little Wandle’s Foundations for Phonics provides the nursery’s preparation for later reading instruction. Children explore syllables, listen for starting sounds and practise combining spoken sounds into words. Songs, rhymes and listening games make this work something children can join in with before formal phonics teaching begins.
In July 2025, Ofsted found that early-years children enjoyed the stories and rhymes adults selected, and that nursery children learned to cooperate in play. Adults demonstrated routines clearly. For children beginning group learning, those routines support participation alongside other children.
Tapestry connects nursery learning with family life. Staff share children’s achievements through the online journal, and parents can contribute examples from home. Communication works in both directions, giving the team a view of what a child can do beyond the classroom. Weekly planning is also accessible through the child’s account.
For additional needs, the school uses Wave 1 support for initial concerns, with classroom strategies and monitoring discussed with parents each term. A School Support Plan (SSP) sets out more specific interventions when further support is needed. Termly SSP Days bring parents and staff together to review progress and agree what comes next. Parent Connect groups provide another opportunity for families of children with SEND to share experiences.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. For September 2027 entry, the application route is Cheshire East’s admissions website. Families using confirmation of church attendance must also return the Supplementary Information Form to the school office.
The nursery’s preparation for school includes developing social skills and practising the listening skills used in later phonics learning. These are educational foundations; families still need to complete the Reception application separately.
Morning sessions run from 8:40am to 11:40am; afternoons run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. The standard pattern is five sessions of the same type each week. Additional sessions may be possible, so the core choice is between a morning week and an afternoon week.
Nursery application forms go to the school office or nurseryadmin@prestbury.cheshire.sch.uk. School visits can be arranged through the office. The PTA Uniform Shed, near the school car park beyond the main reception entrance, sells new uniform and second-hand items subject to stock. Online ordering provides another way to buy school uniform.
Children can start in the school term after their third birthday, subject to places being available.
Mornings run from 8:40am to 11:40am, and afternoons from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Children normally attend five mornings or five afternoons each week; additional sessions may be available.
Through Little Wandle’s Foundations for Phonics, children use listening games, songs and rhymes to explore syllables, initial sounds, alliteration and oral blending.
Tapestry carries children’s achievements, weekly planning and a weekly home activity connected to classroom learning. Parents can add achievements from home too.
No. Reception requires a separate application. For September 2027 entry, apply through Cheshire East; if the application includes confirmation of church attendance, also return the Supplementary Information Form to the school office.
