St Matthew's CofE Primary School Nursery Review

In June 2022, farm and local park visits helped children in St Matthew's early years learn about the world beyond the classroom. This is the nursery provision within St Matthew's CofE Primary School in Stretford, a Church of England primary whose age range starts at three.

The June 2022 inspection found that most pupils, including children in the early years, achieved well across several subjects. That gives parents a dated picture of learning in the school's early years, rather than a separate nursery rating. The most useful detail is what children were doing: cooperating in groups, developing early reading and discovering the world beyond school.

Books and early reading form part of the learning picture. In June 2022, children in the early years were developing accurate word sounding and clear reading, alongside pupils elsewhere in the school. Reading took place each day. For a parent, this means early literacy was part of regular school life, with repeated opportunities to practise rather than an occasional activity.

Group activities brought children together to complete learning cooperatively. That matters beyond the task itself: working with other children gives them opportunities to listen, contribute and share an activity. The inspection evidence offers a concrete example of social learning alongside reading.

Visits to a farm and local parks extended early-years learning beyond the classroom. These outings supported children's understanding of their surroundings, connecting learning with places they could experience directly. They are examples from June 2022, rather than a promise of a current trip schedule.

There were also school-level curriculum concerns in that inspection. Checks on learning needed strengthening in some subjects, while some subject leaders needed further training to help teachers build knowledge in a planned sequence. Those findings concern the school curriculum; they should not be converted into a nursery-specific judgement.

Older pupils had a mentoring role with children in the early years. This provided contact across age groups and a place for younger children within the wider school community, alongside their activities with children of their own age.

Support for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) was organised across the school. Staff received specialist training to recognise needs and adapt their support, and additional help could include specialist input. For families whose child needs extra support, the relevant feature is that school-level structure for identifying needs and helping children take part in learning.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Familiarity with the school and relationships with older pupils are separate from the allocation of places.

The nursery's school address is Poplar Road, Stretford, Manchester, M32 9AN. Families can contact the school on 01618651284 for nursery enquiries. This provides a direct starting point for contacting the team responsible for the provision.