Nursery at St Mary's CofE Junior and Infant School

Daily stories and learning to speak up give this nursery its character. At St Mary's CofE Junior and Infant School on Adscombe Street in Manchester, the Nursery class belongs to the school's early years provision. Books and conversation are central to the experience, with children also learning about their rights and respecting other people.

Ofsted rated the school's early years provision Outstanding following its inspection on 30 April and 1 May 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Story-sharing is a daily activity in the Nursery class. In April and May 2024, children enjoyed listening to adults read, while staff successfully developed their language and communication. For parents, the significant detail is the combination: children hear stories and receive adult support with expressing themselves. Language gets deliberate attention.

The early years curriculum forms the beginning of the school's planned sequence of learning. Alongside that curriculum, learning about rights and respect starts in early years, giving children a framework for thinking about how they treat others.

Early Years Book Club runs from 8.30 to 8.45am. Its loyalty-card scheme rewards participation with a book, extending the emphasis on stories beyond the classroom. Families can also use the school's bank of EYFS and KS1 homework ideas on its Oracy page. These give parents a practical connection to the emphasis on speaking and listening.

For questions about special educational needs and disabilities, parents have a direct route to the school's SENDCO team at send@st-marys-mossside.manchester.sch.uk. The SEND page also provides access to the SEND Pledge and Manchester local offer information. That gives families named starting points for discussing support and finding relevant information.

An Early Years Lead is included in the school's safeguarding team. Parents can access sensitive family advice through a password-protected Parents Area, with the password obtained from the office. This provides a separate channel for adult information.

Physical access includes a disabled parking space in the school car park and accessible toilets for adults and children. Those are useful practical features for families with mobility needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Parents must make a separate Reception application through Manchester City Council's school admissions webpage, following the council's normal application timetable. The school's admissions page explicitly requires this even when a child already holds a St Mary's nursery place.

Keep the two decisions separate: choosing the nursery concerns the child's experience now; applying for Reception is another administrative step. A nursery offer should never be treated as a Reception offer.

Free full-time nursery places are advertised for September 2027, with enquiries directed to 0161 226 1773. The September date matters when planning a start: this offer concerns the next academic year's intake.

Nursery applications go directly to the school office. Families complete an individual personal record form, either printed or collected from the office, and return it there. The application requires the child's details, parent contact information and a birth-certificate copy.

Waiting lists cover both new academic-year entry and applications during the year. For September starters, offer letters are sent in April. Families therefore have a school-office route for nursery enquiries and applications, distinct from the council route used for Reception.