St Mary's Catholic Primary School Nursery

Listening, books and learning to take turns give this nursery its clearest character. St Mary's Catholic Primary School provides nursery education for three-year-olds within its Catholic primary school on Silverdale Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is a beginning to school life, with everyday social habits forming part of the learning.

At the December 2022 inspection, children in Nursery were developing listening skills, and adults established expectations about waiting for a turn. These are practical foundations: children learn to hear what others say and make space for someone else's contribution.

Early years learning connects language with number. In December 2022, adults made purposeful use of literacy and numeracy resources, while a selection of key books helped children enjoy reading. Vocabulary received explicit attention through words chosen for each day. That gives children something specific to practise, alongside the pleasure of a story.

Number teaching followed a consistent approach across early years. Together, these details show learning focused on understanding words, enjoying books and building familiarity with numbers, rather than simply completing activities. Turn-taking also belongs to the nursery day, so learning with other children involves practising patience as well as listening.

Early reading. In December 2022, the reading programme beginning in Nursery still needed to become fully established across the school. Staff training and consistent delivery required further attention. Families should distinguish the positive findings about early years resources from this wider concern about the programme's implementation.

Preparation for entry includes planned Foundation Stage visits for children starting in September and a June meeting for parents. This gives families an introduction to the school routine before their child starts. For children already identified as having special educational needs, the SENCO meets new parents beforehand to discuss concerns and possible solutions.

Support sits within a school team that includes a specialist SEN teacher, teaching assistants and staff trained in Emotional Literacy Support Assistant work. A Family Support Worker helps children and their families and connects them with other services; families can refer themselves. Ramps and toilets adapted for disabled users provide concrete accessibility measures across the school.

Individual support. In December 2022, school-wide SEND plans lacked sufficient detail about adults' actions to support learning and emotions, restricting progress. For a child needing additional help, the practical issue is agreeing specific support and reviewing its effect, rather than relying on a general description of their needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal admissions route and meet the deadline for their child's entry year.

For the 2024/2025 admission cycle, nursery attendance brought no additional priority: applications were assessed alike whether children attended Nursery or elsewhere. The normal route was through the local authority where the family lived, naming St Mary's. Keep the nursery decision and the Reception application as separate tasks.

Use the Nursery Door for drop-off and collection. The school office is the enquiry contact on 01782 619685 or office.stm@ctkcc.co.uk. The school address is Silverdale Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 2TA.

For concerns about development or learning, parents can approach the class teacher or SENCO. Early discussions cover a child's strengths, difficulties and intended outcomes, giving families a role in deciding the next steps.