Marsden Community Primary School Nursery Review

At the March 2023 inspection, learning to read began in the Nursery Year at Marsden Community Primary School. That finding gave the provision a clear educational starting point, alongside the school's aim to develop children's vocabulary, independence and appetite for learning.

The nursery belongs to the primary school on Percy Street in Nelson. Children become eligible the term after their third birthday, with entry points in September, January and April. For families, those termly intakes provide more than one point in the year at which a child can join.

Marsden's wider ethos includes Growth Mindset and Learning Powers. The school aims to encourage children to take an active part in learning and develop respectful habits towards others. These are school-wide aims, rather than a separate nursery quality judgement.

Early reading was a clear thread in the nursery's learning at the March 2023 inspection. Children were beginning to learn to read during their Nursery Year. Their first steps towards reading therefore began within nursery education itself, rather than waiting until the next stage.

Teaching in the early years also had a clear direction. Staff understood the knowledge children needed to learn, and their subject knowledge helped them explain new material clearly. For a parent considering the nursery, the useful distinction is between simply keeping children occupied and giving their learning a deliberate purpose.

The nursery team includes an EYFS lead whose responsibilities encompass standards and speech and language development. That role gives language an explicit place in the team's responsibilities, alongside the early reading identified in March 2023. The current team role gives parents a specific language focus to discuss; the reading finding describes provision in March 2023.

Relationships provide another important starting point. In March 2023, early-years staff established connections quickly with children and their parents or carers. That matters during the move into nursery: the relationship extends to the family as well as the child.

Team roles include bilingual learning support within the nursery. Across the school, an inclusion team includes a SENCO lead and support responsibilities covering medical needs, English as an additional language and SEND. These give families identifiable roles through which to discuss a child's needs.

Attendance. In March 2023, irregular attendance was a concern across the school because it interrupted some pupils' learning. This was a whole-school finding; it should not be read as a nursery-specific assessment.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Lancashire County Council. Applications open in September before the child is due to start school and usually close in January of that academic year.

Treat that application as a separate task even when a child already attends Marsden's nursery. Lancashire County Council makes offers in April; the school then contacts families allocated a place to welcome them and complete admission forms.

Nursery enquiries and waiting-list requests go through the school office on 01282 612769. Families can also visit the school to make an enquiry. A visit before applying can be booked through the office, giving parents a direct route to arrange a conversation about joining.

The school is on Percy Street, Nelson, BB9 0BE. General enquiries can also be sent to office@marsden.lancs.sch.uk or made through the school's contact form.