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Nursery at Norton-in-Hales CofE 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Weekly Forest School and a personal daily diary give Daisy Class two clear points of character: outdoor learning and a link between nursery and home. This is Norton-in-Hales CofE Primary School’s nursery for children aged two to four, with capacity for 15 children in each morning and afternoon session.
The nursery sits within the village school, whose building is Victorian. Two Forest School sites are accessible to the school throughout the year. Assistant teachers lead the nursery, while each child has an assigned key person: a familiar adult who connects their learning, care and family communication.
Play, exploration and thinking are part of the learning here. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together language, relationships and physical development with early reading, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. For parents, that means development extends beyond letters and numbers. Reggio Emilia also influences the nursery’s approach alongside EYFS.
Music, movement and Art and Design lessons complement that framework. Weekly Forest School sessions are led by the school’s Forest School Leader, giving outdoor learning a regular place in the week. In their final nursery term, children begin Read Write Inc. Phonics for Nursery, which combines stories and language development with learning sounds.
Daisy Class’s Small World Area provides a concrete example of classroom learning. Children exploring the Creation Story made collaborative pictures, shaped animals from playdough and represented the world in miniature. They also made Easter Gardens during Forest School after learning about Christian symbols. These activities connect stories with making and imaginative play, while showing the nursery’s Church of England context.
Outdoor resources. At the Ofsted inspection on 1 November 2022, early-years children cooperated on a building made from interlocking blocks, but outdoor equipment was insufficient to develop creativity and curiosity fully. Leaders were asked to improve that area; this is a material consideration for families who place outdoor play high on their list.
Settling starts before the first session. Families are invited to two visits, one in the preceding term and another immediately before nursery begins. Children can try activities and meet staff, while parents discuss worries. Parents may stay briefly on the first day, with a telephone update later that day. The settling process is adapted to the child.
A meeting with the key person before starting gives staff information about the child’s needs and interests. That adult records observations, plans activities around the individual and provides spoken updates and written progress summaries. A daily diary travels between the people caring for the child, supporting continuity beyond nursery.
Full-day attendance includes a packed-lunch option or a cooked meal for an additional charge. For emerging special educational needs, the school uses Assess, Plan, Do, Review, involving parents and teachers or the key person. Families can arrange a SENCo appointment through the office or email sen@nortoninhalesprimary.co.uk. The safeguarding team includes designated early-years safeguarding leads, giving nursery concerns an identified route within the school.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and carries no priority in the school’s admission criteria. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process with Shropshire Council. Catchment residence comes first; outside-catchment applications are considered through sibling and distance criteria, with exceptional medical circumstances also recognised.
Transition visits are a separate matter. Children are invited to induction sessions during the half term before full-time entry, whether or not they have attended nursery. This offers familiarity with the classroom rather than an admissions advantage.
Morning sessions run from 8:35am to noon; afternoons run from noon to 3:00pm. Full-day and flexible places are also offered. Wraparound care covers 8:00am to 8:35am and 3:00pm to 5:30pm, with a day’s notice required to arrange staffing and key-worker support.
Funded places are offered from age two, subject to eligibility. The nursery offers a 15-hour pattern across 38 weeks, and eligible working parents of children under five can access 30 hours. Cooked meals carry an extra charge; contact the school for current charges. Nursery applications are accepted throughout the year, with forms available from the office. To arrange a visit or enquire, call 01630 653084.
The nursery accepts children aged two to four, with capacity for 15 children in each morning and afternoon session.
Mornings run from 8:35am to noon and afternoons from noon to 3:00pm. Wraparound care is offered before and after these sessions, with a day’s notice required.
Families have two visits before starting. Parents can stay briefly on the first day and receive a telephone update. Each child has a key person, and settling arrangements are adapted individually.
No. Nursery attendance gives no priority under the admission criteria. A separate Reception application is required through the normal Shropshire Council admissions process.
Yes. Nursery children have weekly Forest School lessons with the school’s Forest School Leader.
