Hedgehogs Nursery at Hinstock Primary School

Sand, songs and on-site Forest School shape life at Hedgehogs Nursery, where children can join from the age of two. This is Hinstock Primary School’s own nursery, with access to the school hall for dancing, singing and movement during the week. The day reaches beyond the nursery classroom.

Learning through play is the nursery’s starting point. Staff plan activities around observations of children playing and interacting, bringing their interests into the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). For parents, that means a curriculum built around what children are exploring as well as the skills they are developing.

Welcome time brings together the weather, calendar and days of the week. Counting and number-formation rhymes give these familiar routines a learning purpose. Children also practise counting objects carefully and noticing shapes around them, connecting early mathematics with everyday experiences.

Language and early reading have several routes into the day. Jolly Phonics songs introduce sounds through music and actions, while sound-talk activities invite children to work out spoken instructions from separate sounds. Pre-school children practise blending and segmenting simple consonant-vowel-consonant words. Shared books and turn-taking board games sit alongside this work. Mark-making uses shaving foam, sand and wipe boards, giving children different ways to practise before and alongside using a pen.

The classroom has a book corner, spaces for making and writing, and areas for water, sand and role play. Small-world play can include dinosaurs, a farm or a fire station. Children choose activities for themselves during part of the day; at other times, a teacher or teaching assistant leads a focused activity. That balance gives them both choice and adult guidance.

Outdoor learning is offered every day, with independent choices and adult-led activities outside too. Nursery children can attend Forest School on the school site. Topics such as Minibeasts, Heroes and Dinosaurs draw on books and children’s interests. Across the EYFS, learning covers movement, relationships and communication alongside literacy, mathematics, creativity and understanding the world: preparation for school involves much more than letters and numbers.

Kindness has a practical vocabulary here: children are encouraged to use kind words, hands and feet. Hedgehogs aims to build independence as confidence grows. These expectations give young children a simple way to understand how to treat one another during shared play.

Class Dojo connects home and nursery by sharing children’s achievements. Staff keep parents informed about development and ways to support learning at home; number and letter-formation rhymes also go home in book bags. Across the federation, the stated aim is to support children whatever their needs. Speech and language advice and activities are available to parents through the school’s SEND support links.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process; Hinstock directs school applications through Shropshire Council.

Educational links are a separate matter. Hedgehogs maintains close contact with Reception to support continuity through the foundation stage. That connection supports the next step in learning, but families should keep the Reception application separate from their nursery arrangements.

Hedgehogs offers funded childcare for eligible two-year-olds and a 30-hour entitlement for eligible parents. Nursery enquiries can go directly to 01952 971282 or to admin@hinstock.school. To request a place, complete the required forms and return them by email or post.

Wraparound eligibility. Two-year-olds cannot currently use wraparound care because of staffing limits. Pre-school children with siblings are considered first, subject to adult ratios. This matters if your working day extends beyond nursery hours.

Breakfast Club runs from 07:30 to 08:45. After School Club has collection options up to 17:00 or 17:30. These sessions are charged, booked through Parent Pay and paid for in advance; contact the school for current charges. Late collection incurs a penalty, so the collection deadline needs to fit your travel arrangements.

DecoStitch supplies nursery uniform, including items with logos, book bags and PE bags. Orders can be placed online, by telephone or by email, with a turnaround of approximately 7–10 working days.