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Nursery at Highfield 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Songs, stories and the confidence to speak to familiar adults give Highfield’s nursery a clear focus: helping children begin to express themselves. Its language progression starts with short sentences about needs and experiences, listening to others and joining familiar rhymes. These are practical foundations for taking part in nursery life.
Part of Highfield Primary School on Bridgenorth Avenue in Urmston, the nursery has its own teachers and teaching assistants within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) team. CARE, the school’s values, brings together enjoyment, responsibility, consideration and aspiration. For 2026/2027, the school is advertising a limited number of nursery vacancies.
Talk develops through play. Nursery children practise asking straightforward questions, explaining an idea and speaking in small groups. Songs and stories introduce vocabulary; conversations help children take turns and make their needs understood. The emphasis is on beginning to participate, with familiar adults as their first audience.
Books have a regular place in the day. Story sessions extend throughout the school, including nursery, and each class has a reading corner. That gives children both an adult reading aloud and a space associated with books. Read Write Inc begins in nursery when children are ready: initial sounds are introduced in five-minute bursts. The readiness condition matters. This is a short introduction rather than the longer phonics lesson described for older children.
EYFS learning also includes discovering how the world works through activities that connect different areas of learning. Science involves active exploration; understanding the world includes noticing nature, buildings and people, and discussing how things have changed. Indoor activities and outdoor investigation both contribute. Baking and messy play are also described by the nursery team, bringing practical experiences alongside language development.
Nursery teaching staff hold Early Primary Education degrees, while the teaching assistant team includes an N.N.E.B qualification and a yoga teacher. The nursery staff profiles list Level 3 Paediatric First Aid. These are concrete details about the adults supporting children’s learning and care.
Every child has a Pupil Passport, drawing together contributions from family, staff and the child. It records interests, strengths and ways to help that individual, giving parents a direct contribution to everyday support. Where SEND outcomes are needed, passports are developed with families and reviewed after a term. Parents are invited to those reviews.
Emotional support has a physical place too: each classroom has a Regulation Station. Zones of Regulation helps children recognise feelings and explore ways to manage them. In February 2023, Ofsted found that early-years children understood the school’s established routines and followed them.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. Highfield’s school admissions are handled by Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council, while nursery applications go directly to Highfield.
Pupil Passports are used by the school during transitions. Information about a child’s personality, preferences and support needs can help adults understand them as they move on. That support is separate from the allocation of a Reception place.
Two nursery sessions are listed: mornings run from 8.30am to 11.30am, and afternoons from 12.15pm to 3.15pm. Applications use the nursery form, with paper copies obtainable at school reception. The office handles enquiries on 0161 748 6096 or highfield.admin@trafford.gov.uk.
Highfield introduced active uniform in September 2026, with traditional uniform also permitted during 2026-27. White polo shirts, black jogging bottoms or leggings and black trainers feature in the active clothing policy. Label clothing clearly. Families must tell the school if someone different will collect their child, and telephone the office if delayed.
The morning session is 8.30am to 11.30am; the afternoon session is 12.15pm to 3.15pm.
Apply directly to Highfield using its nursery application form. Paper copies are available from school reception.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal school admissions process, managed by Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council.
Yes. Read Write Inc introduces initial sounds in short five-minute sessions when children are ready.
Families contribute to their child’s Pupil Passport. For SEND enquiries, contact the school office to arrange a meeting with the inclusion lead, or email SEN@highfield-primary.trafford.sch.uk.
