St Wilfrid's CofE Junior and Infant School Nursery Review

Drawing Club, Story Dough and classrooms indoors and outside give this nursery its character: children practise new skills with adults, then put them to work in their own play. The provision serves children aged three and four within St Wilfrid's Early Years Unit, on Mabel Street in Newton Heath, Manchester.

Ofsted judged early years provision Good at the inspection on 19 and 20 September 2023. Children in early years were settled and sustained their attention on learning. That gives parents a dated assessment of the wider early years provision, rather than a separate nursery rating.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) covers more than early reading and number work. Here, its seven learning areas bring together communication, physical skills, relationships and emotions, alongside literacy, maths, creative expression and understanding the world. The school's I can curriculum organises learning around a teach, practice and apply sequence. Children encounter a skill with an adult, rehearse it through planned activities and use it during play they choose themselves.

Both outdoor and indoor classrooms are accessible during the day. Early Excellence furniture and resources support children in choosing their own activities; adults work across the two spaces, leading activities or joining children's play. Maths, reading and writing areas provide resources children can reach themselves. This makes choosing and using materials part of the learning.

Daily maths teaching takes place in mixed ability keyworker groups, with a maximum of 15 children. Sessions last between 10 and 30 minutes and address number or numerical patterns. Children can then revisit the ideas using the maths area and materials elsewhere in the classroom.

Language gets sustained attention. Drawing Club and Story Dough sit alongside daily stories and rhymes, while repeated work with a chosen book helps children revisit vocabulary. During Nursery's first two terms, sound activities use familiar everyday noises; Read, Write Inc begins in the summer term. Forest School sessions and trips also connect learning with experiences beyond the classroom.

Speech and language screening includes every Nursery child, with a speech therapist reviewing the work each half term. This gives targeted teaching a starting point and a regular review. The autumn curriculum also concentrates on communication, physical development and children's social and emotional skills.

Assessment begins with an individual baseline and targets. Staff assess progress termly, and children who have not reached I can outcomes are discussed with the SENCO to plan interventions. Significant achievements are shared with parents through Class Dojo, giving families concrete examples of what their child has been doing.

Safety teaching in early years includes learning about people who help us. Parents can raise a safeguarding concern with any staff member. For food allergies, the school's allergen guidance directs families to the catering team for information about ingredients, a useful step before food is provided.

A Nursery place does not guarantee admission to Reception. Families must make a separate Reception application through Manchester City Council's school admissions route, using its online portal, and meet the normal application deadline. Treat that application as a separate task even when your child already attends Nursery.

The school timetable gives an 8.45am opening for all children and a 3.10pm finish for EYFS, Monday to Friday. Those are the early years school-day times to use when planning collection.

Funding has an unusual feature: the admissions information describes 30 hours of childcare each week, with the school budget covering an additional 15 hours. Its explanation is framed around the arrangements introduced in September 2017, so keep that historical context in mind rather than treating its eligibility guidance as current advice.

For a Nursery application, telephone the office on 0161 681 1385 or call in for a form. The 2026/27 calendar places the autumn half-term closure on 23 October 2026, with children returning on 3 November after an INSET day on 2 November. These dates matter when arranging care around the school calendar.