St Mary's RC Primary School Nursery Review

Rhymes, songs and first sounds give this nursery its clearest character: an introduction to learning built around language and books. St Mary's RC Primary School in Swinton has its own Nursery class, admitting children in September in the school year of their fourth birthday. It sits within a Catholic primary school on Milner Street.

Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Good following the inspection on 18 and 19 April 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

The day runs from 8:45am until 3:20pm, Monday to Friday, with registration at 8:55am. Lunch occupies the 11:20am to 12:30pm slot. Those fixed points give families a clear daily timetable.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) learning here includes the foundations of reading: children encounter books, practise rhymes and songs, and begin recognising sounds. In April 2023, Nursery children enjoyed poems as well as singing and rhyming activities. The emphasis gives children ways to explore spoken language before tackling more formal reading.

Learning also extends beyond the classroom. In April 2023, early years children took trips that connected with their curriculum. They were learning rules and sustaining attention on activities, useful preparation for participating in a classroom group. For reading together at home, the school's Curriculum Support page links families to Love My Books, with book-based creative activities, and Hungry Little Minds, with activities for children up to five.

Starting-school preparation includes a meet-and-greet session and a welcome pack, which families can also print. A Going to a new school social story gives parents a concrete resource to use when discussing the change with their child. These are useful starting points for making school feel more familiar.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), preparation begins before entry. The school assesses needs with parents, health agencies and the local authority, considering both the physical environment and the resources a child will require. Its support arrangements include adapted teaching, specialist materials and additional adult help in lessons, at lunch and on trips. This makes the pre-entry discussion consequential: it informs the support planned around the child.

Medical routines require parental involvement too. Administration of medicine requires a parental consent form and the headteacher's signature. If a child becomes unwell, staff contact the family and care for the child until collection. Parents can raise welfare concerns with the designated safeguarding lead.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal admissions process; the school's admissions page directs applications through Salford Admissions. Treat that application as a distinct step when planning your child's next school year.

Contact the school office on 0161 794 4028 or email admin@St-marysrcswinton.salford.sch.uk for nursery enquiries. Families can arrange a school visit by appointment, and the Virtual Tour page includes Welcome to Nursery.

Uniform is required. Items without the school logo can be bought from supermarkets or other large clothing retailers, and the office offers help with sourcing uniform.

Parking. Parents cannot use the staff car park, and nearby residential parking can be difficult. The school's Park & Stride arrangement allows drop-off and collection parking at Aldi on Swinton Old Road, subject to a maximum stay of 90 minutes. Allow walking time when planning collection.