South Bank Community Primary School Nursery

Books, rhymes and learning to play together give South Bank’s early years provision its clearest character. Nursery sits within South Bank Community Primary School on Poplar Grove in Middlesbrough. Part-time nursery admission begins as soon as possible after a child’s third birthday; provision for two-year-olds also operates within the school.

At the Ofsted inspection on 18 and 19 June 2024, early years provision was graded Good. That judgement applies to the early years foundation stage, rather than being a separate nursery rating. The detail behind it matters: children enjoyed stories and adults’ relationships with them helped shared play work well.

Reading starts early here. In June 2024, children were beginning to learn to read promptly, with books, storytelling and rhymes forming part of their experience. For a parent, that gives a concrete picture of early learning: children encounter language through listening and joining in, alongside their first steps towards reading.

Playing alongside other children also matters. In June 2024, relationships with adults supported cooperative play, while behaviour routines and expectations began in early years. Learning therefore includes getting used to being part of a group, as well as enjoying books.

The EYFS classroom is a named part of the nursery’s day: nursery children attending Breakfast Club go there while older pupils remain in the hall. That creates a distinct arrangement for the youngest children within a shared school service.

Breakfast Club combines food with everyday independence. Children are encouraged to serve themselves, eat and talk together, then clear their dishes. Choices include fruit, wholemeal toast, porridge and cereals, with milk, water or fresh juice to drink. Pancakes and croissants sometimes feature too.

Staff from the social, emotional, mental health and wellbeing team are available during the club for children who want to discuss worries. Families whose children need additional support because of SEND should contact the school to discuss their Breakfast Club needs. For wider SEND enquiries, the school’s special educational needs and disabilities coordinator can be contacted directly at sen@southbankprimary.co.uk.

Separate application. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply again through the normal Reception admissions route and meet the deadline for their child’s intake. Redcar and Cleveland’s local authority allocates Reception places, with an online Primary School Admissions service and paper applications for families who cannot use the online facility.

Nursery attendance is not one of the stated Reception oversubscription criteria. Those criteria concern local-authority care, special educational needs statements, residence within the admission zone, older siblings, professionally supported exceptional reasons and distance from school. Familiarity with the school must therefore be kept separate from any expectation of admission.

Part-time nursery provision is complemented by a free Breakfast Club for children attending the school, including its two-year-olds. Doors open at 8am, food is served until 8.30am and children are taken to class at 8.45am. This provides an earlier start for families using the club.

The school office is the nursery enquiry route: telephone 01642 453451 or email office@southbankprimary.co.uk. The address is Poplar Grove, South Bank, Middlesbrough, TS6 6SY.