St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Nursery Review

Nursery rhymes, ice and snow, and a shared outdoor play space give St Joseph's early years provision its character. Nursery and preschool sit within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Hub alongside Reception, with Maple, Elm and Holly often joining together for activities and play. That shared setting gives children opportunities to become familiar with other adults and children.

At the inspection on 16 and 17 April 2024, the school operated preschool for children aged two and three. Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Good. This is an early years judgement within the school inspection.

Rhymes provide a starting point for practical learning. Maple and Elm's planned rhyme themes include Incy Wincy Spider and Baa Baa Black Sheep. For Maple, activities are planned around balancing, making colourful sheep and discussing pets, connecting the rhymes to children's own experiences. Familiar songs become something children can move to, make things about and discuss.

Maple's planned winter learning includes exploring ice and snow. Other examples include Row, Row, Your Boat and A Sailor Went to Sea. These give younger children repeated encounters with rhyme and characters, rather than treating songs as a separate activity.

For Elm, planned food learning covers its origins and preparation, with opportunities to cook and taste. Stories including The Tiger Who Came to Tea and The Little Red Hen give those experiences a link to books. Elm's planned growing theme explores how caterpillars, swans, plants and flowers develop through their life cycles. These are examples of learning themes, rather than a fixed daily timetable.

The EYFS combines early learning with social development. In April 2024, children developed the ability to take turns, cooperate and share, alongside beginning to read, write and work with numbers. The shared outdoor area gives the hub a common space for play as well as its classroom activities.

Settling is an explicit autumn focus. The autumn plans help children get to know their surroundings, staff and peers while becoming familiar with routines and boundaries. This makes familiarity with the setting part of the learning programme.

Maple's planned short circle times cover feelings, including sadness, happiness and anger, and ways to respond to them. That gives children opportunities to talk about emotions alongside their play. For everyday questions or concerns about a child, the class teacher is the first contact; parents can also request an appointment through the school office.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process.

The shared EYFS Hub brings nursery, preschool and Reception together, and its classes often play and learn alongside one another. This offers familiarity with the wider early years setting. It should be considered separately from the allocation of Reception places.

The school office handles enquiries and requests to visit. Contact office@stjoesmalvern.worcs.sch.uk or telephone 01684 573016. The setting is on Newtown Road in Malvern, WR14 1PF. A visit can provide an opportunity to discuss the nursery with the team before deciding whether to apply.