Christ Church C of E Primary School Nursery Review

Two linked indoor areas and a canopied outdoor space give Christ Church’s early years provision room for both exploration and focused teaching. The nursery belongs to Christ Church C of E Primary School on Flaxley Lane in Middlebeck, Newark. Children can join in the term following their third birthday, with 15 and 30 hour provision offered.

Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good at its inspection on 21 and 22 September 2022. That judgement covers the early years foundation stage, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Morning attendance is the pattern for F1 children, alongside the option of 30 hours. Indoors and outdoors are used each day. The early years unit has two connected internal spaces, a dedicated outdoor area beneath a canopy and fixed play equipment, giving children different settings in which to explore and practise.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines learning about relationships and emotions with movement and communication. Literacy and mathematics sit alongside creative expression and discovering how the world works. Development Matters guides the approach, with the school aiming to respond to each child’s development. Topics connect with books, giving learning a story-based starting point.

Read Write Inc supports phonics. Adult teaching sits alongside activities initiated by children and tasks guided by adults: children have opportunities to investigate ideas, revisit skills and learn from each other. Imaginative play also gives them reasons to talk and develop language.

In September 2022, the early years curriculum followed a clear sequence and classroom activities were organised effectively. Outdoor learning needed more purpose. Children had fewer opportunities outside to reinforce and extend their understanding, making the balance between outdoor play and focused learning a point for families to consider.

Learning is shared with home through Tapestry, which records children’s progress and attainment. This gives parents a connection to classroom learning rather than leaving the nursery day entirely behind the school door. In September 2022, early years staff established routines promptly, and parents valued the guidance they received to help their children.

For children needing additional help, the school recognises that support may be needed both to settle and to learn. Its approach includes regular assessment, with the aim of responding to individual needs. Education Support Services can advise on changes to teaching and the curriculum when necessary.

Parents can raise concerns with the class teacher first or request contact from the special educational needs coordinator (SENDCo). The SENDCo can be reached at sendco@christchurch.notts.sch.uk, providing a direct route for discussing a child’s needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through Nottinghamshire County Council and meet the normal application deadline. Treat choosing nursery and applying for Reception as separate decisions, even though both concern the same school.

The nursery offers 15 and 30 hour provision, with F1 morning attendance and a 30 hour option. Those patterns give families a starting point for considering how nursery fits their week.

Visits can be booked by emailing parents@christchurch.notts.sch.uk. The school is on Flaxley Lane, Middlebeck, Newark, NG24 3XB; the office telephone number is 01636 680051.