Puss Bank School and Nursery: Nursery Review

Ducklings, Owls, Squirrels and Hedgehogs give Puss Bank's nursery its own identity. Ducklings caters for two-year-olds; the other groups are for children aged three and four. This is the nursery within Puss Bank School and Nursery on Barracks Lane, Macclesfield.

Language, stories and learning through play shape the provision. Ofsted's June 2026 inspection judged the school's early years provision to meet the Expected standard. That judgement covers early years across the school, rather than being a separate nursery rating.

Play has a practical learning role here. In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), children develop communication, independence and early reading and number skills through activities and interactions. Ducklings practise listening during keywork groups, join songs with actions and take turns in games. The home corner, toy cars and play people give them familiar situations to explore. Sand, water and messy play provide opportunities to practise coordination and smaller hand movements.

For Owls, Squirrels and Hedgehogs, the Summer 1 learning programme centres on life cycles. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Watch the Bean Grow connect stories with vocabulary about growth. Word Aware introduces words such as cocoon, root and sprout, giving children language they can use when discussing books and organising their play.

In the Summer 1 programme, reading has a repeated rhythm: the same home-time story is revisited throughout a week, allowing children to remember events and retell them with increasing confidence. Weekly phonics games practise joining spoken sounds into words and separating words into sounds. Early writing includes making meaningful marks during role play and attempting names. Number sessions explore position, sequencing, comparisons between groups and the properties of shapes.

In June 2026, adults' conversations helped children develop confidence in speaking, while observation informed their next learning steps. The youngest children had a bright space for exploration. Purposeful play. Some activities chosen independently did not have a sufficiently clear learning aim. Leaders were addressing this with external support, making the purpose of independent activities a useful focus for families considering the nursery.

Independence starts with ordinary routines: Ducklings practise toileting and putting on coats, while older children learn routines, discuss feelings and tidy resources with reminders. Families contribute photographs to a nursery family wall, connecting home life with children's conversations and play.

Parents can speak to the nursery team or email nursery.homework@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk. WOW forms in the cloakroom let families share achievements from home so these can inform assessment. In June 2026, early years staff used their observations to adapt learning for individual children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff also got to know children before they joined and recognised difficulties early, supporting the start of their nursery experience.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through Cheshire East Admissions and meet the normal application deadline.

Transition activities are a separate matter. A summer programme included storytime sessions, a parent evening, a coffee morning for families and children, and transition visits. These provide opportunities to become familiar with the next stage; they do not secure admission.

Eligible families can use Tax-Free Childcare to pay for nursery sessions. The school office handles general enquiries at admin@pussbank.cheshire.sch.uk or on 01625 917210, and school tours can be arranged by contacting the office.

Label clothing, footwear and wellies. Children are asked to leave their own toys at home because they can be damaged or misplaced.