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Nursery at Allonby 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Beach materials for storybook houses and gingerbread baking give Allonby’s early years provision a distinctive coastal character. Nursery starts from age three and belongs to the Foundation unit within the KS1 classroom, so this is an introduction to life in a school setting.
The headteacher also teaches EYFS, linking nursery provision with the school’s leadership. Ofsted graded early years provision Good at the inspection on 5 and 6 March 2024; this was an early years judgement within the school inspection, rather than a separate nursery rating.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework. For parents, its learning areas bring together communication, physical development and relationships with early literacy, mathematics, creativity and understanding the world. Practical examples include sorting, representing numbers and activities that develop fine motor skills. Learning involves doing as well as listening.
A two-year topic cycle gives the nursery curriculum its shape. Cycle A includes Jungles and Rainforests, Pirates and Plants; Cycle B brings Food, glorious food and All around the world. These themes give children different starting points for exploring familiar experiences and places beyond home.
Stories become practical activities. Early years examples include baking gingerbread men alongside The Gingerbread Man and collecting materials on the beach for houses inspired by The 3 Little Pigs. The beach is a concrete outdoor learning resource, connecting a story with objects children can find and handle. Other early years experiences include a train journey to Whitehaven and a teddy bears picnic at Bothel school.
Initial sounds and the routines of Read, Write, Inc. begin in nursery, providing preparation for later phonics learning. Music Makers delivers music to EYFS every other Tuesday, adding a recurring musical element. In March 2024, children’s early years experience included frequent stories and purposeful conversations with adults, giving language learning a place alongside practical exploration.
Healthy eating and Remembrance Day craft also appear among the early years activities. Together with baking and beach exploration, these give parents concrete examples of how topics take shape through practical experiences.
Ofsted’s March 2024 findings offer reassurance about starting nursery: early years children felt part of the school and adapted readily to its routines. For a child starting nursery, familiarity with the daily pattern matters alongside the activities themselves.
The headteacher is also the special needs coordinator, giving families a direct contact for additional needs. Safeguarding responsibilities sit with the headteacher, supported by the administrator as deputy lead; an online form provides a route for reporting concerns.
Food has a shared setting. School lunches are prepared off site, and pupils eat together in the hall. Families using school meals pay through Parent Pay; contact the school for current charges. The hall makes lunchtime a communal part of school life rather than simply a break for eating.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Allonby uses Cumberland Local Authority’s admissions policy, and the local authority handles school admissions.
The Foundation unit includes both nursery and Reception, and curriculum planning covers both groups. That gives the educational provision a shared structure. It must be kept separate from the decision about a Reception place: choosing nursery is not confirmation of a later school offer.
Two nursery sessions are offered: mornings run from 8:45am to noon, while afternoons run from 1pm to 3:15pm. These are distinct attendance options, so the choice affects how nursery fits around the family day.
The nursery funding offer describes 15 free hours from the term following a child’s third birthday, with 30 hours potentially available to eligible children of working parents. The school office discusses attendance options with families and arranges appointments. Telephone 01900 881324 or email admin@allonby.cumbria.sch.uk to enquire or arrange a visit.
Allonby’s nursery provision is for children aged three onwards.
Morning sessions run from 8:45am to noon. Afternoon sessions run from 1pm to 3:15pm.
Children follow EYFS, with a two-year topic cycle, practical number and sorting activities, stories and outdoor learning. Nursery also introduces initial sounds and Read, Write, Inc. routines.
No. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process. Cumberland Local Authority handles school admissions.
Contact the school office on 01900 881324 or email admin@allonby.cumbria.sch.uk to arrange an appointment.
