Morpeth Stobhillgate First School Nursery

Curiosity has a practical outlet in Stobhillgate’s early years: children experiment with projected shadows, then turn their discoveries into art. Nursery belongs to Morpeth Stobhillgate First School in Morpeth. The school’s early years provision was judged Outstanding at the Ofsted inspection of 3 to 5 December 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) guides the curriculum. In parent terms, developing language, movement and relationships comes first; learning about numbers, books, creative expression and the world builds on those foundations. Play, concentration and trying out ideas are part of the learning approach. Children are encouraged to investigate, persevere and choose ways of tackling a task, giving them an active role in their learning.

Practical exploration connects different kinds of learning. In December 2024, the early years classroom gave children opportunities to develop scientific understanding alongside art and early literacy. A light projector supplied a concrete example: children made shadows and used the shapes in their artwork. Staff showed children how equipment worked, helping them handle resources independently. The activity joined experimentation with making something of their own.

Memory matters too. The early years approach uses target memories to help children retain earlier learning. Nursery children begin learning letter sounds in the summer term, providing an introduction to the relationship between spoken sounds and written letters.

A nursery teacher forms part of the teaching team, alongside an EYFS lead, an EYFS practitioner and teaching assistant support for early years. These are distinct teaching and support roles within the school’s early years provision.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the EYFS curriculum is tailored to make learning accessible. The school follows the SEN Code of Practice when identifying and supporting children, with provision coordinated by its SEND coordinator. Inclusion is therefore part of curriculum planning, rather than an additional activity. Parents with safeguarding concerns can speak to the school’s safeguarding team, giving families a direct route to raise concerns.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal admissions route by the applicable deadline. The 2025/26 consultation arrangements directed Northumberland residents to the county council’s online portal and common application form; families living elsewhere were directed to their home local authority.

Those proposed arrangements did not include nursery attendance among the oversubscription priorities. They placed looked-after and previously looked-after children first, followed by catchment residents, siblings and other children. Families should treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as separate decisions.

For the 2025/26 consultation cycle, nursery entry was proposed for the term after a child’s third birthday, with starts in autumn, spring and summer. The session model was 15 hours each week, using three-hour mornings from 8.45 to 11.45 or afternoons from 12.30 to 3.30. These are arrangements for that dated cycle.

Nursery interest can be registered with the school office, which supplies application forms. For enquiries, the school also has an online contact form with space for a message and contact details.