Nursery at St John's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

Outdoor exploration and a two-way picture of learning give Acorns its character. Children learn through investigating and trying things out, while Tapestry lets families see nursery experiences and contribute photographs from home. That connection makes parents participants in their child's learning.

Acorns is the nursery class at St John's RC Primary School in Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, Manchester. Children must be three before joining. It sits within a Roman Catholic primary school, with dedicated early years space for Nursery and Reception.

Exploration shapes the approach. Children are encouraged to question, experiment and investigate, with learning paced around the individual child. The early years curriculum combines language and communication with physical development, relationships and emotions; literacy, expressive arts and mathematics are part of that mix. For parents, this means learning extends beyond early reading and number work to how children express themselves and relate to others.

Outdoor space matters here. The nursery aims to take as much learning outside as possible, while the dedicated early years areas contain equipment intended to develop language and early reading. The emphasis connects the learning environment to specific skills, rather than treating outdoor time simply as a break.

Catholic learning has a named approach: Lighting the Path. Religious education is built into the activities and resources children can use throughout their learning, and accounts for 10% of curriculum time from Nursery onwards. Faith therefore forms part of the nursery's everyday educational character.

Settling starts with a home-school transition programme organised by the Nursery team once a place has been accepted. For a child beginning nursery, this provides a planned link between family and staff before the new routine takes shape.

Tapestry carries that partnership into the nursery year. Parents can view children's experiences and add their own home photographs, which staff combine with nursery observations to follow progress. Families receive updates on planned learning every half term, and a lunch menu is sent to them weekly. These give parents both a view of learning and a practical way to follow meal plans.

For additional needs, the class teacher is the starting point. The school's support process begins with adapting teaching to the child, with SENDCo involvement when further help is needed. A pupil passport can capture individual needs, and Individual Learning Plans provide specific targets when appropriate. Those plans are reviewed with parents termly, giving families a recurring opportunity to discuss support.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place at St John's. Families must apply separately through Manchester local authority, including when their child already attends Acorns. The online application must reach the authority by its nominated deadline in the year before Reception begins. Treat this as a separate application to plan for.

For children with SEND moving between classes, information and existing reports are passed to the next teacher. A transition meeting takes place where possible, and some pupils are invited to familiarise themselves with their next classroom before September. These arrangements support the change of class; they do not secure admission.

The school aims to provide full-time nursery places. Early Years children can be dropped off at 8:45am and should be collected at 3:20pm. Those times are the relevant starting point for planning the nursery day.

Contact the school office on 0161 881 1040 to arrange a tour and obtain an application pack. General enquiries can also go to admin@stjohnsrc.net. Emails may take up to three days to receive a reply, so phone the office for urgent enquiries.