St Mark's RC Primary School Nursery Review

A Friday library book and lunch in the school hall give St Mark's nursery a distinctly school-based rhythm. Children choose something to read at home, eat together and take part in Catholic early learning. This is the school's own Nursery class on Queensway in Clifton, with everyday routines that connect home and classroom.

Ofsted rated the early years provision Good at the inspection on 2 and 3 July 2024. That judgement covers the school's early years provision rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Stories and rhymes are a substantial part of learning here. Nursery children have frequent opportunities to listen, while Friday visits to the school library let them choose a book to take home. Books return the following Friday for exchange, although families can keep one for up to two weeks. This gives parents a concrete way to share the class's interest in reading.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the nursery's learning framework. Here, its everyday expression includes listening to stories, exploring rhyme and developing concentration. In July 2024, children in early years sustained their attention and showed enthusiasm for learning. The nursery also directs families towards BookTrust for reading ideas and Top Tips for Talking, which staff use themselves.

Catholic teaching shapes the curriculum. Early years religious education uses Oxford University Press's Lighting the Path, so faith is part of planned learning. Beyond the classroom, a Teddy Bears' Picnic for Nursery and Reception was scheduled on the school field in May 2026, subject to the weather. It is a specific example of using the wider school grounds for an early years event.

The July 2024 inspection also identified a whole-school improvement priority: in some subjects, teaching needed to help pupils connect earlier knowledge with new learning more consistently. Families should read that alongside the early years judgement, keeping its whole-school scope in mind.

Lunch is a shared social routine. Nursery children must have the school meal and eat in the hall; the school describes this as practice in social skills. Meals have three choices, with menus running on a three-week rotation. Nursery children also receive fresh fruit each school day through The National Fruit Scheme, and milk is free until the term in which they turn five.

Communication includes opportunities to participate. A Nursery Stay and Play session was advertised for March 2026, with booking through Scopay. School messages and newsletters also use Studybugs. For SEND concerns, the school's SENCo is a contact through the school office, giving families a defined route to raise concerns.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. The school's admissions page directs parents to Salford Council's application information.

Transition activity serves a different purpose. Transition mornings were planned for July 2026 to familiarise children with new classrooms, teachers and routines. That preparation was intended to support the move between classes; it does not secure admission.

The nursery day runs from 8:50am to 3:20pm. Collection arrangements matter: staff need advance notice if an unfamiliar adult will collect a child, and children awaiting a late collection go to the office. Bring a bottle containing water, and label clothing with your child's name.

Visits to the school are welcomed. Direct enquiries to the School Business Manager on 0161 794 3876 or email support@st-marks-clifton.salford.sch.uk. For compulsory meals and other current charges, contact the school. Uniform can come from McLellan, or families can buy school badges to attach at home; second-hand uniform is also sold through the school.