St John's CofE Primary School Nursery Review

Stories give this nursery its character. Children hear, learn and retell tales through the Storytelling School approach, while play takes learning between indoor and outdoor classrooms. Language has a practical place in the day: children have stories to work with and opportunities to share their ideas.

St John's nursery accommodates up to 26 full-time places within the school's early years provision. Its home is the Daisy Bank site on Daisy Bank Avenue, alongside the younger primary children. The setting belongs to a Church of England school whose teaching includes Christian values such as friendship and forgiveness. That ethos forms part of the context families are choosing, alongside the nursery's play-based approach.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum is taught through active play. In parent terms, children learn by taking part, with both an indoor classroom and an outdoor classroom providing space for that learning. The outdoor classroom is part of the teaching environment, rather than simply somewhere to take a break.

Storytelling School gives the curriculum a named approach. Nursery children listen to stories, learn them and practise retelling them, then use those stories in English activities. This gives talking a purpose and provides familiar material that children can return to as they participate. The emphasis is on using language, as well as hearing it.

Personal, social and emotional development also has an explicit place in EYFS. Learning about themselves and their relationships sits alongside other classroom activities. For a young child, becoming part of a group is part of the learning day, rather than a separate concern left until lesson time is over.

Settling starts with getting to know the child. Parents and children meet an EYFS team member to complete an All About Me booklet, and invitations include Stay and Play and a storytime picnic. These give families a way to share interests and begin making connections before the nursery routine takes over. Nursery entry is staggered across two weeks, so the whole group does not begin together.

Seesaw connects home with classroom learning. Staff record children's learning there, share it with parents and invite comments; learning updates also appear on the website. Parents can respond to what their child has been doing, rather than relying only on a brief account at the end of the day.

For additional needs, the school's SENCO coordinates provision. Support can include work in a small group or extra help in class, with Individual Educational Plan targets shared with parents and the child. That gives families a defined role in discussing the support and its aims.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through Salford City Council's normal admissions process, by the applicable deadline. The school's listed criteria include siblings and distance, but nursery attendance is not a priority criterion. Familiarity with the setting should therefore be kept separate from the application decision.

Full-time nursery places are the stated model. For the Daisy Bank early years site, registration is at 8:50am and the site closes at 3:20pm. These are site hours, rather than a separately described nursery session timetable.

Collection requires a responsible adult. If someone different will collect, parents must notify the office in writing, giving staff a clear record of the change. Families can contact the school on 0161 921 2130, and visits are offered with the headteacher or deputy headteacher. A visit provides an opportunity to see the setting and discuss questions before choosing it.