St Edmund's RC Primary School Nursery

First sounds and a transition programme run by the nursery team give St Edmund's nursery its school-based character. Children can join only once they are three, and the school aims to offer full-time nursery places. This is nursery provision within a Catholic primary school in Miles Platting, Manchester, rather than a separate childcare setting.

We hold no published inspection grade for it.

Read, Write, Inc begins in nursery. Children are introduced to sounds through this named phonics programme, with teaching starting in the class and moving into groups when needed. For parents, the practical distinction is that early reading has a defined approach from the nursery stage. The class teacher can explain which set of sounds a child is working on.

Learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines purposeful play with activities adults guide and activities children choose themselves. Children therefore have opportunities both to follow guidance and to make their own choices. Teachers also track nursery children's development against 17 early learning goals. Across the school, observations and conversations with children help teachers decide what to teach next, linking assessment to subsequent learning rather than treating it simply as a record of progress.

Once a nursery place is accepted, the nursery team organises a programme to support the move from home into school. That gives settling its own place in the joining process. In November 2020, nursery arrangements included a welcome pack explaining routines and a home visit. For children transferring from another setting, staff would contact that setting and arrange to observe the child there.

Concerns about development go first through the class teacher to the SEND coordinator, with progress monitored and further action taken when necessary. The school can draw on speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and educational psychology, giving families a route to specialist input alongside classroom support.

Physical accessibility deserves individual attention. In November 2020, the building had stairs, but wheelchair users could access the ground floor. Facilities included a hygiene suite, plus another classroom downstairs with wheelchair access. These are relevant features for families considering mobility or personal-care needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Parents must make a separate online application to Manchester local authority, including when their child already attends this nursery. The application must reach the authority by its nominated date in the year before Reception entry. A late application can affect whether a child receives their preferred school.

Classroom familiarity is a separate matter. In November 2020, internal transitions included opportunities to visit the next classroom and staff handovers covering children's needs and support strategies. Such preparation concerns the child's experience of change; it does not secure admission.

Contact the school office on 0161 205 1700 to put a child's name on the nursery waiting list. Nursery entry is based on age: registering earlier does not bring forward admission.

The school aims to provide full-time places for children who turned three during the preceding academic year, from September 1st to August 31st. The school is on Upper Monsall Street, Miles Platting, Manchester, M40 8NG.