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Nursery at The Willows Primary School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Story puppets, vegetable printing and outdoor construction give this nursery its character: learning takes shape through books, making and play. The Willows Primary School’s nursery serves three- and four-year-olds in Woodhouse Park, Manchester, within the primary school.
At the Ofsted inspection on 21 and 22 June 2022, early years provision was graded Good. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision rather than a separately inspected nursery. Spoken language was a strength, with books and familiar stories giving children opportunities to build their vocabulary.
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) learning here brings together language, early mathematics, creative activities and exploration of the world. Themes include Traditional Tales and People Who Help Us. These give children a shared subject to talk about, investigate and use in their play.
Books have places of their own: a book area and story table sit alongside spaces for writing and mathematics. Children can act out tales using puppets, draw characters or make shopping lists. These activities connect storytelling with expression on paper, rather than treating books as something only adults read aloud.
Master the Curriculum supports mathematics, with matching, sorting and number rhymes among the planned activities. Music Express includes singing and movement, while Jigsaw and Think Equal feature in personal, social and emotional learning. Vegetable printing and modelling with discarded materials add practical ways to explore shape and texture.
Outdoor learning has concrete resources. Crates and tyres provide material for obstacle building; sand, water and an investigative area offer other kinds of exploration. Magnifying glasses support closer observation, while scooters and bikes give children opportunities to move. Seasonal walks and gardening connect learning with changes outdoors.
Settling starts with contact at home: a member of staff visits the child and family. Meeting the class teacher and discussing questions also form part of joining the school. In June 2022, children in early years became familiar with established routines quickly, giving them a settled basis for exploration.
Language support includes WELLCOMM in nursery, run by a teaching assistant. In June 2022, staff identified special educational needs and disabilities in early years accurately, with help from professionals supporting children’s participation alongside classmates. For families, this makes communication needs part of the support conversation from the start.
Meals are prepared in the school kitchen with fresh ingredients each day. Medical, cultural and religious dietary requirements can be accommodated. Nursery meals are chargeable, and families who think they qualify can apply for free school meals; packed lunches are another option.
Assessment. In June 2022, some teaching across the school did not make sufficient use of assessment, slowing some pupils’ progress. This was a school-wide improvement point, rather than a finding confined to nursery, and makes discussion of a child’s next learning steps useful.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through their home local authority, using the normal application process and deadline for their entry year. Manchester residents apply through Manchester’s admissions service.
For the 2024/2025 entry cycle, nursery attendance conferred no priority under the oversubscription criteria, and the application deadline was 15 January 2024. Keep the application separate from the child’s nursery experience. Familiarity can still help with the change: summer planning includes stories with Reception teachers, giving children contact with the adults involved in the next stage.
Apply directly to the school for a nursery place. The funding arrangement dated March 2021 provided 15 local-authority-funded hours for three- and four-year-olds, with another 15 funded by the Trust. It allowed that support for additional hours could change, with parents told before accepting a place if charges would apply beyond 15 hours. Check current charges with the school before accepting.
Snacks may attract charges, and nappies are charged for when parents have not supplied them. School Gateway handles online payments, so keeping the email address and mobile number held by the school up to date helps families use the payment system.
The nursery provides for three- and four-year-olds at The Willows Primary School in Woodhouse Park, Manchester.
Resources include bikes, scooters, crates, tyres, sand and water. Planning also includes seasonal walks and gardening.
A member of staff visits the child and family at home. Families also meet the class teacher and can discuss their questions.
A teaching assistant runs WELLCOMM in nursery. In June 2022, early years teaching was effective in developing children’s speech through vocabulary, books and stories.
No. Parents must apply separately through their home local authority. Nursery attendance gave no oversubscription priority for the 2024/2025 entry cycle.
